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Pick n Pay asap! brings social commerce to grocery shopping with new SA-first feature
Pick n Pay asap! is bringing social commerce to grocery shopping in South Africa with the launch of Pick n Pay Inspire, a new shoppable video feed built directly into the Pick n Pay asap! app. A first for a…
Loyalty is ready for a connected upgrade
Think about how many loyalty programmes you use in an ordinary week. You might scan a rewards card when buying groceries or earn benefits when filling up your car. Then you swipe your gym membership for a quick sweat session…
South Africa’s e-commerce boom is hiding a profit crisis
South Africa’s e-commerce sector is booming. The market is on track to surpass R130 billion in turnover this year. Local online sales are growing at roughly 20% and the sector handles over 100 million shipments annually. According to World Wide…
Paystack Launches Small Business Launchpad for Nigerian SMEs
Paystack, one of Africa’s leading payments technology companies, has launched Small Business Launchpad, a four-week growth programme for active Paystack merchants running small and medium-sized businesses in Nigeria. The first cohort opens on August 27, 2026 and will admit up…
Pepkor Strengthens Informal Economy Strategy with R21.3 Billion Fintech Deal
Pepkor Holdings has announced the combination of its wholly owned fintech subsidiary, Flash, with Shop2Shop to create one of South Africa’s largest merchant commerce and fintech platforms, with annual transaction throughput exceeding R200 billion. Following the transaction, Pepkor will hold…
How One South African Startup Saved 200,000 Meals from Landfill in Just One Year
South Africans have saved R12.5 million on groceries while preventing 200,000 meals from ending up in landfill through Refreshi, a local startup that built a surplus-food marketplace that has expanded from just 35 partner stores to 700 nationwide in the space…
Pick n Pay Bets on AI to Transform Grocery Shopping with ‘Penny’
Pick n Pay asap! has launched Penny, South Africa’s first fully integrated AI-powered grocery shopping companion, transforming the way customers shop for groceries through natural conversations. Powered by Google’s Gemini AI models, Penny is built into the Pick n Pay…
City Lodge Hotels Introduces New Buzz App
City Lodge Hotels has launched the Buzz App, a new mobile food and beverage ordering app that allows guests and visitors to order directly from their smartphones. Available at all City Lodge Hotels properties across South Africa, the app offers…
SPAR Strengthens Leadership Capability
The SPAR Group is strengthening its leadership as part of a deliberate move to accelerate operational execution across its Southern African footprint. These leadership appointments signal a more focused, execution-led SPAR – one that is working harder to deliver consistently…
Sixty60 Launches South Africa’s First Personalised AI Shopping Assistant
Sixty60 has become the first online retailer in South Africa to introduce a fully personalised Smart AI shopping assistant, marking a significant shift in how consumers experience grocery shopping. Known as Pixie, the assistant has been developed entirely in-house by…
How Can AI Transform Retail: 5 Key Ways
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the retail industry by delivering innovative solutions to enhance customer experiences, optimize processes, and increase profitability. Here are some main ways. AI will change the retail landscape: 1. Hyperpersonalization By analyzing massive volumes of client…
How Are Smartphones Remaking Retail
Online commerce is no longer new to the South African market, with research from World Wide Worx indicating that e-commerce surpassed R130 billion in 2025 and captured close to 10% of total retail sales. Smartphone users are driving a significant…
Pick n Pay Expands Super App with a Clothing Launch on asap!
Pick n Pay Clothing is available to millions more customers nationwide following its launch on the Pick n Pay asap! app, making affordable, quality clothing easier to access through a platform customers already use every day for their daily grocery…
RISA & IRL Consulting Announce Strategic Global Partnership
In a major step toward the professionalisation of the retail sector and the advancement ofdata-driven retail education, the Retail Institute of South Africa (RISA™) has strengthenedits strategic partnership with IRL Consulting, a globally recognised retail intelligence andgeospatial analytics firm operating…
Why Retail Transformation Fails Without Merchant-Led Change
South Africa’s retail sector is facing one of the toughest tests in decades. Margin pressure is relentless, consumer expectations are rising faster than retailers can keep up with, and global supply chain volatility continues to disrupt even the strongest brands.…
How African Retailers Can Stay Competitive Against Global Entrants Like Shein and Temu
In recent years, global ecommerce giants such as Shein and Temu have aggressively pursued market share in Africa. Their low prices and vast product assortments have captured attention — but for local retailers, the rise of these entrants presents both…
