South Africa’s biggest retailer opening even more stores across the country

The group surpassed the R250 billion sales mark during the financial year ended 30 June 2025, with sales growth equating to R20.6 billion. 

Its core Supermarkets RSA segment saw Shoprite and Usave’s turnover increase by 5.9%, equating to sales growth of R6.5 billion from a substantial base of R110.1 billion.

Checkers’ value-focused premium offer is also gaining share, evidenced by sales growth of 13.8%, contributing an additional R11.6 billion. 

Checkers opened 68 stores during the year, including 36 LiquorShop stores. This takes the total number of Checkers supermarkets to 350, including 40 Checkers Hypers. 

“We believe that Checkers’ incredible success in terms of its vision to democratise premium food retail remains underrepresented in the South African market,” said CEO Pieter Engelbrecht. 

“Our strategy to continue the conversion of existing stores to our winning FreshX format, whilst opening stores in areas where we are underrepresented, remains one of our top priorities over the medium term.” 

Overall, across the core Supermarkets RSA business, the group added a net 225 stores to its base, increasing the total number of stores to 2,577. 

223 more stores are lined up to open in the 2026 financial year.

During the financial year, the group announced that it would sell its furniture business and its stores in Ghana and Malawi. 

Despite having 430 stores across these discontinued operations, the group’s total number of stores, including the discontinued operations, still rose by a net 269 to 3,908.

Sixty60 keeps growing 

Looking elsewhere, the group noted that Sixty60’s sales increased by 47.7%, equating to R18.9 billion this year. 

Outside of sales growth, the group saw improvements in the Sixty60 customer experience, evidenced by its 94.0% on-time deliveries and 96.9% order fulfilment. 

The group also launched a new Checkers transactional website, making its full range of products available on the web, which can be delivered in one hour. 

“In addition, we re-platformed Sixty60 whilst adding general merchandise delivery from our Checkers Hypers to our on-demand offer,” said Engelbrecht. 

“These substantial steps build on the strong foundation we have established as we extend our delivery offer across our other categories and trading formats in the future.” 

Financials 

Overall, Shoprite’s financials remained strong, with the group seeing its earnings per share increase by 22.0% to 1,401.2 when including discontinued operations. 

The group’s total profit increased by 21.9% to R7.6 billion, while revenue increased by 8.6% to R257 billion. 

The group’s total dividend for the year increased by 7.9% to 781 cents over the period. 

Engelbrecht has voiced his displeasure over the sale of the group’s furniture business to Pepkor, which has faced issues with competition authorities. 

“The Competition Tribunal grante a competitor intervention rights at a late stage in the merger proceedings subsequent to the Competition Commission recommending the transaction for approval,” he said. 

“We are entering into a second year of operating a profitable furniture business, which has been classified as discontinued and as such excluded from the group’s profitability on a continuing operations basis, whilst not having received the sale transaction proceeds.” 

“Delays of this nature are unproductive for these businesses and our employees in them, and as a result, we seek transaction conclusion as soon as possible.” 

Issued on BusinessTech by Luke Fraser |nhttps://businesstech.co.za/news/business/836590/south-africas-biggest-retailer-opening-even-more-stores-across-the-country/