South Africa’s online grocery battle is entering a new phase, where competition is no longer just about delivering groceries faster, but rather about making shopping itself almost disappear.
After years of racing to offer one-hour delivery and expand digital reach, retailers are increasingly betting that artificial intelligence (AI) will become the next front of the race.
Instead of searching through thousands of products, shoppers are being encouraged to simply ask for what they need. The battle is fierce.
Shoprite Holdings Ltd, Africa’s largest supermarket chain, has steadily cemented its lead in the country’s online grocery market through its Checkers Sixty60 platform.
It reported 48% growth in that unit in fiscal 2025, with digital revenue reaching R18.9 billion ($1.2 billion) – almost 9% of its local supermarket sales and 10 times larger than in 2021.
Rival Pick n Pay Stores Ltd is now trying to gain an edge by replacing the
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