R7 billion in savings and shifting habits highlighted in Pick n Pay’s 2025 Smart Shopper report. Picture Credits: Moneyweb
By Aisha Zardad
South Africa – Pick n Pay has released its annual Smart Shopper Unwrapped report, offering detailed insight into how South Africans shopped in 2025, based on data from more than 11 million Smart Shoppers nationwide.
The report, which analyses billions of shopping points, paints a picture of a country shopping with intent as households navigate ongoing cost pressures. During this period, the Smart Shopper loyalty programme has played a significant role in easing financial strain, delivering a total of R7 billion in customer savings since January 2025.
Pick n Pay Executive of Innovation and Digital, Vince Viviers, said the value offered by the programme continues to attract new users, with nearly two million customers registering as Smart Shoppers during the same timeframe.
Johannesburg emerged as the city with the highest total Smart Shopper savings, with customers collectively saving over R1 billion. Cape Town, while saving less in total, recorded the highest average Rand savings per shopper, highlighting regional differences in shopping behaviour.
The report shows that Fridays have become South Africa’s preferred shopping day, reinforcing the weekly grocery shop as a deeply ingrained routine. The Pick n Pay store in Tembisa recorded the highest number of Smart Shopper swipes nationally, followed by Pick n Pay Promenade in Cape Town and Pick n Pay Hyper North in Durban.
Convenience has also reshaped shopping habits through the integration of Pick n Pay asap! within the Smart Shopper app. The service recorded 1.7 million new installs and a 44% year-on-year increase in on-demand sales in the first half of the financial year. The platform maintained a 97% item availability rate, helping drive repeat usage.
One Cape Town-based customer placed 327 asap! orders since January, with top users in Johannesburg and Durban placing 246 and 228 orders respectively. According to Pick n Pay, these figures highlight how on-demand shopping has become embedded in daily routines.
The report identifies three dominant shopping missions among South Africans: Fresh Healthy Full Shop, Pantry Filling and Cleaning, and Sweets, Snacks and Groceries.
Regional preferences remain distinct. Cape Town shoppers favour health-forward items such as free-range meats, avocados, and rice cakes, alongside local favourites like biltong and chutney. Johannesburg shoppers prioritise maize meal, beef, and chicken, with premium beer and wine featuring strongly over weekends. Gauteng also emerged as the country’s leading consumer of watermelon.
Durban shoppers showed strong demand for samoosas, fresh chillies, and curry leaves, reflecting the city’s diverse culinary culture. Beach lifestyle staples such as hot chips, seasonal treats, and strong sales of Irish whisky and spirit coolers also featured prominently.
Viviers said Smart Shopper continues to play a central role in South Africans’ weekly shopping lives, with Pick n Pay committed to ongoing innovation aimed at delivering greater value and savings for customers.
The findings confirm that Smart Shopper has evolved beyond a loyalty programme, becoming an essential part of how South Africans plan, shop, and save.
