Checkers is approaching the second anniversary of its premium private label range, Forage and Feast, the country’s only private label product range endorsed by a Michelin star chef.

The Shoprite Group was the first retailer to celebrate the enormous contribution of South African women to society when Government announced National Women’s Day in 1996 when it introduced a significant campaign that ran for 17 years to celebrate women, the nationally acclaimed Shoprite Checkers Women of the Year Awards. More than 25 years later the Group continues to champion women - employees, customers, business partners and community workers. It invests in and uplifts women through various business and community initiatives, including skills development and training programmes, as it recognises that the development and support of women serves as a significant contribution to stable economies and effective community development. Almost 65% of the Group’s more than 145 000 employees are women who serve its customers, drive its trucks, innovate and are employed in leadership positions across the business.

The Shoprite Group is expanding its ecommerce presence by taking its Petshop Science brand online. This comes as the pet economy continues to grow in South Africa – in just one year, Petshop Science has opened 22 physical stores around the country.

Checkers Little Shop is back by popular demand, and this time the 24 new collectable minis are made from 100% recycled plastic and responsibly sourced paper.

South Africa's leading ticketing platform Computicket has launched an innovative new offering called ‘Box Office’ to make its service more accessible and affordable to organisers of smaller events.

The Shoprite Group has launched Shoprite Next Capital, a business division dedicated to capacitate and grow commercially-viable SMMEs to further the Group’s continued efforts to give small suppliers access to its consumer market.

The Group is increasing its use of renewable energy by installing rooftop solar PV (photovoltaic) installations at more of its Checkers supermarkets. These include Oudtshoorn, generating an additional 776 647 kWh; Big Bay, generating 185 144 kWh; and Knysna generating 613 630 kWh.

Shoprite Checkers Proprietary Limited, a subsidiary of Shoprite Holdings, has established a Black Economic Empowerment transaction through the formation of the Shoprite Employee Trust, which will increase Shoprite Checkers’ effective Black Empowerment Ownership to 19.2%. Shoprite Checkers will issue 40 million Shoprite Checkers shares, with an estimated value of R8.9 billion, for the benefit of its employees to recognise their valued contribution and ensure their ongoing participation in the Shoprite Group’s continued growth and success.

Food is wasted is a complex issue, which is why Shoprite has adopted systematic and comprehensive plans to address it.

Shoprite Holdings has appointed Dawn Marole and Paul Norman to its board as independent non-executive directors.