The new grocery store cheaper than Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Checkers

The pilot store is called Skubu, and was launched in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. It allows customers to bring their own containers and buy food and household goods in the exact quantities they can afford.

The store was launched in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the CSIR, and local tech company Sonke (Pty) Ltd.

Skubu’s refill stations dispense staple products such as maize meal, cooking oil, sugar, rice, and detergent, using fixed prices per litre or kilogram. 

The pricing structure is intended to give shoppers the ability to buy smaller quantities without paying more per unit, a key issue in low-income areas where bulk buying is not always possible. 

A kilogram of maize meal is currently priced at R9, and 500g of sugar costs R10, which is often less than at major retail chains.

Customers have responded positively to the lower prices and the flexibility to buy what they can afford. 

“Prices are different from those in other shops. Things are affordable. With R50, I can go to bed with a full stomach,” said a customer. 

For many, the ability to buy in small amounts at standardised prices is a welcome change amid the ongoing rise in food costs.

According to data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group, the price of a typical household food basket reached R5,443.12 in June 2025.

This is a 3.6% increase from the previous year, and higher than the current consumer inflation rate of 2.8%. 

In this context, a store that offers lower-cost staples in flexible quantities may help to ease some of the financial pressure on families. The store is also part of a broader experiment in reducing packaging waste. 

50% cheaper than competitor stores 

The refill stations, designed and operated by Sonke, a technology start-up, are equipped with internet-connected systems that track product movement from warehouse to shelf. 

This setup eliminates the need for single-use packaging, which can be costly and environmentally damaging. 

While reducing plastic use was not the primary goal for most shoppers, it forms a key part of the store’s design and the government’s interest in circular economy solutions.

The project is funded through the Circular Economy Demonstration Fund, which is administered by the CSIR to support trials of new business models that aim to balance environmental and economic concerns.

Eben de Jongh, founder of Sonke, said Skubu was designed to offer products at prices up to 50% lower than traditional stores. 

“It is a fully automated refill store where people can buy the quantity of goods that they need at a price that they can afford,” he said. 

Professor Linda Godfrey, a principal researcher at the CSIR who leads the Circular Innovation South Africa initiative, described the pilot as a test of how circular economy principles can work in practice. 

She noted that the project also serves as a case study in collaboration between research institutions, private companies, and the government. 

“The intention is to focus on the national system of innovation, which looks at how a country creates and applies new ideas to improve technology and grow its economy,” she said.

The CSIR provided technical support for the pilot, helping to identify a suitable location and analysing data from the refill machines to evaluate the store’s impact and long-term viability.

Dr Mmboneni Muofhe from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation said the initiative is part of a wider effort to use innovation to promote both environmental protection and local enterprise development.

Skubu

Issued on BusinessTech by Malcolm Libera | https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/829929/the-new-grocery-store-cheaper-than-shoprite-pick-n-pay-and-checkers/