South Africa

With relatively low bargaining power, small local grocers in South Africa have become more exposed to the persisting inflationary pressure since they often source their products from wholesalers. The latter tend to have higher markups in comparison…

In 2023, the retail landscape in South Africa remained challenged by the operating environment, translating into slow economic growth, which left unemployment at a relatively high level. As inflation remained above the South African Reserve Bank…

In 2023, sales via e-commerce in South Africa continued to benefit from a steady decline in the price of connectivity, which allowed a higher number of consumers to access the service at affordable prices. For instance, the price of 1G broadband has…

The number of hypermarkets operating in South Africa continued to decline in 2023. The trend emerged just prior to the pandemic due to cautious investments in the wake of economic uncertainty in the country. This scenario was exacerbated by lockdown…

Home products specialists in South Africa continued to record a fairly weak performance in 2023. From one of the lowest interest rates imposed by the South African Reserve Bank during the pandemic, mortgage rates continued to skyrocket in 2023 as the…

After being affected by restrictive lockdown restrictions, which resulted in the imposition of face masks and limited social gatherings, beauty specialists in South Africa are now benefiting from consumers’ revived routines, including returning to…

Lockdown restrictions imposed on shopping centres during the pandemic were particularly challenging for department stores in South Africa, which often occupy prime rentals in such locations. For Woolworths, the situation was worsened by civil unrest…

In 2023, discounters in South Africa continued to record dynamic growth across all indicators. Despite decelerated food inflation, estimated at an average of 8.5% over 2023 as a whole compared to a 14-year high of 14.4% in March, South African…

In 2023, direct selling in South Africa remained subject to challenging operating environments. Despite some stabilising of value sales following three consecutive years of decline as a result of the pandemic, there was still lower demand for certain…

In 2023, convenience stores in South Africa continued to benefit from proximity to local households, with this format often used for daily or weekly top-ups. However, in suburban areas, the channel is increasingly being threatened by the emergence of…

In 2023, sales via appliances and electronics specialists in South Africa were mainly driven by high inflation and currency depreciation, which directly influenced prices. The channel was also affected by lower demand from cash-strapped consumers,…

The performance of apparel and footwear specialists in South Africa continued to improve in 2023, due to consumers’ revived routines such as returning to the workplace and shopping centres. As inflationary pressure has been impacting disposable…

Whilst street stalls/kiosks has long been dominated by independent players in South Africa, the changing trading environment has seen a growing interest by chained operators that are traditionally present in limited-service and full-service…

South Africa is struggling with the impact of high inflation and decreased disposable incomes, resulting in brands needing to be competitive to obtain their share of financially-restricted consumers’ budgets. Post-pandemic, eating out is considered a…

Rising interest rates and high inflation have impacted the development of larger format consumer foodservice establishments due to the greater costs involved. Thus, there is a focus on smaller format outlets. Market saturation in urban areas has…

The trading environment in South Africa paints a bleak picture; post-pandemic recovery hindered by deteriorating local economic conditions, including erratic electricity supply, weak growth and high levels of inflation. South Africa’s food price…

The pandemic and its subsequent restrictions imposed on travel had a significant impact on the entire tourism industry, including consumer foodservice through travel. This location recorded the most severe declines in 2020, as, whilst all locations…

With COVID-19 restrictions on foodservice outlet trading hours being enforced for a number of years in South Africa, the after effects are still being felt and there is a continued shift from evening to daytime dining. This trend is further…

Sustainability has emerged as a major trend in the packaging industry in South Africa due to a confluence of factors. These include: growing environmental concerns; consumer demand for eco-friendly products; government regulations promoting…

Pens is set to remain the biggest category within writing instruments in value terms in 2023, with pencils also remaining a significant category. Pens and pencils are expected to see positive current value growth rates in 2023 despite the tough…