Shoprite - embracing low prices and decreasing unemployment

The opening of the new store in Langa.

Africa's largest retailer announced that trading has started in a new Shoprite supermarket close to Rustenburg in Northern Province on Wednesday 25 March and Thursday 26 March saw the Checkers Vergelegen Plein and Shoprite Langa opened in the Western Cape. Shoprite Ixopo started trading in KwaZulu-Natal, Checkers Parys opened in the Free State, while Shoprite Dawn Park in Gauteng welcomed customers for the first time.

With its business structured to bring low prices and value for money to consumers, the group's expansion model is focused on making its stores more accessible by taking up opportunities to open supermarkets inside neighbourhoods and in or near public transport nodes.

Transport represents a sizable portion of the average Shoprite customer's disposable income and the supermarket chain endeavours to add value to the customer's experience by providing easier access to its stores when suitable sites become available.

The group opened 27 new supermarkets since July 2014 and is on track to open a further 25 supermarkets across the Shoprite, Checkers and Usave brands by the end of June this year. It has created almost 8 000 job opportunities so far this financial year and now provides jobs to 130,000 people.