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Shoprite Holdings Ltd in its financial report for 2024/25 ending 29 June 2025 has reported a lucrative increase in group sales of 8.9 percent, reaching R252.7 billion underpinned by its core Supermarkets RSA segment, to which all supermarket brands contributed.
The report shows that the Group’s 24.3% reported gross margin is higher year-on-year (restated 2024: 23.9%). Trading profit increased by 16.6% resulting in a trading margin of 5.9% (restated 2024: 5.5%). The Group’s earnings before interest, income tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 18.8% and measured R23.8 billion (restated 2024: R20.0 billion).
Pieter Engelbrecht, the Chief Executive Officer of Shoprite Holdings, attributed the success of the largest grocery store in South Africa to their strategy of prioritising the customer. He said their core Supermarkets RSA segment gave back R16.5 billion at point of sale whilst remaining steadfast on containing their selling price inflation at 2.3%.
According to Engelbrecht, as a Group, the retail store has surpassed the R250 billion sales mark this year. In rand terms, just their growth in sales this year equated to R20.6 billion.
“We again created thousands of jobs and innovated across the board – not just on the digital and quick commerce front but also where, as a result, millions of South African households can eat better and transact for less. In doing so; as per our purpose; our customers live better lives.
The business again worked incredibly well to deliver best-in-class pricing and availability together with unmatched deals and promotions. Doing this profitably across a base of 2 863 corporate-owned and managed stores requires expert execution. Credit and my sincere thanks are extended to our experienced and dedicated teams who worked together to deliver on a market leading strategy, which as always, prioritised our more than 30 million customers and their daily needs,” said the CEO.
Pieter Engelbrecht further said that in respect of their core Supermarkets RSA segment this year, Shoprite and Usave’s turnover increased by 5.9%, equating to sales growth of R6.5 billion from a substantial base of R110.1 billion.
“Our customers remain pressured on a number of fronts, and disposable incomes are stretched. It is for this reason the teams pulled together to keep sell inflation at Shoprite (on a volume weighted basis) below 2%. Promotional participation was higher than 2024 but to compensate, Shoprite doubled-down in terms of its operational disciplines and managed to improve gross margins year-on-year.
Checkers’ value focused premium offer just goes from strength to strength. It continued to gain share, evidenced by sales growth of 13.8%, contributing an additional R11.6 billion taking it to an almost R100 billion brand in its own right. The gains are across the board but noteworthy this year was Checkers’ growth in fresh together with improvements in ranging and promotional execution. We opened 68 stores during the year, inclusive of 36 LiquorShop stores.
With 350 supermarkets (including 40 Checkers Hypers), we remain of the view that Checkers’ incredible success in terms of its vision to democratise premium food retail, remains underrepresented in the South African market. Our strategy to continue the conversion of existing stores to our winning FreshX format whilst opening stores in areas we are underrepresented remains one of our top priorities over the medium term,” he said.
The financial report shows that the Board has declared a final dividend of 496 cents per share, representing year-on-year final dividend per share growth of 11.5%. This together with the first half dividend of 285 cents per share equates to a full year dividend of 781 cents per share, increasing by 9.7% year-on-year.
The Group repurchased 3.4 million shares under the authorised share buy-back programme during the period under review to the value of R997 million. Since the inception of the Group’s share buy-back programme in the Group’s 2021 financial year we have repurchased 12.1 million shares to the value of R2.6 billion. This equates to an average purchase price of R211.59 per share.
“In closing, to our valued customers; thank you for your continued patronage. We remain humbled by your acknowledgement of our efforts to bring you the best, for less. A new year is upon us, one over which we hope that as a result of your on-going support we will continue to grow and invest to the benefit of the Group’s many stakeholders,” concluded Engelbrecht.
