The Shoprite Group has exceeded its planned store expansion target for the 2026 financial year, opening 268 new stores across its core South African supermarket operations in the first 11 months of the reporting period as consumers continue to seek affordable and accessible shopping options amid mounting pressure on household finances.
The retailer had previously announced plans to open 223 new stores within its Supermarkets RSA segment during the 2026 financial year. The latest figures indicate that the company has surpassed that target by 45 stores before the end of the financial year.
The accelerated rollout forms part of the Group’s broader strategy to strengthen its omnichannel retail platform, which combines physical stores with digital shopping services to meet changing consumer demands and support future growth.
According to the company, the majority of the new openings were concentrated within its core supermarket brands. During the 11-month period, Shoprite opened 48 Usave stores, 41 Shoprite supermarkets and 30 Checkers supermarkets. The Group also expanded its liquor retail network with the opening of 92 new LiquorShops.
Growth was also recorded in the retailer’s adjacent businesses. Petshop Science exceeded its planned expansion target by opening 38 stores, compared with an original target of 23. Meanwhile, UNIQ clothing by Checkers more than doubled its intended rollout, opening 13 stores against a target of five.
The expansion programme contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs across South Africa as the retailer increased its presence in all nine provinces.
Gauteng accounted for the largest share of new openings with 82 stores, followed by the Western Cape with 48 and KwaZulu-Natal with 31. Together, the three provinces represented nearly 60 percent of all new stores opened during the period.
The Group’s continued expansion has been supported by significant capital investment. During the first half of the 2026 financial year, Shoprite invested R3.9 billion, much of which was directed towards expanding and upgrading its South African store network.
Retail analysts have noted that South African consumers remain under pressure from the rising cost of living, prompting many households to prioritise value-driven shopping options. The growth of discount and convenience focused retail formats has become an increasingly important feature of the country’s retail landscape as retailers compete for market share in a challenging economic environment.
Shoprite’s latest expansion figures underscore the retailer’s confidence in long term growth opportunities in the South African market, even as consumers continue to navigate constrained household budgets.
