We support the communities that enable our success
The Shoprite Group is committed to uplifting lives every day by supporting the communities we serve. Through our #ActForChange Fund and other community investment programmes, we partner with local community organisations to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the most vulnerable across South Africa.
The communities we serve are at the core of our business. That’s why our CSI strategy is closely aligned with our purpose and values and our priority to be a force for good. We focus on promoting wellbeing, safety, and long-term community sustainability of our communities, while addressing critical needs through pioneering access to affordable goods and services and by creating economic opportunities.
Our key areas of focus include food security and hunger relief, tackling youth unemployment and supporting enterprise supplier development (ESD).
In addition, the Shoprite Foundation, our non-profit organisation, focusses on empowering communities through education and skills development, employees through the Shoprite Employee Trust, and support small businesses and entrepreneurs through targeted SMME and ESD initiatives.
Join us as we #ActForChange:
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4 408 tons | |
| PER YEAR IN SURPLUS FOOD DONATIONS | ||
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6 046 | |
| UNEMPLOYED YOUTH TRAINED VIA RRP AND YES PROGRAMME | ||
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R20 million | |
| INVESTED IN SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SHOPRITE NEXT CAPITAL | ||
* Our contributions for FY2024
Hunger relief and food security
At the heart of our socio-economic efforts is a strong commitment to fighting hunger and improving food security. We aim to build long-term resilience in vulnerable communities and support lasting social and economic transformation through targeted, sustainable interventions.
Our initiatives include:
- Surplus food donations to reduce waste and address immediate hunger needs
- The development and support of over 200 community food gardens, empowering people to grow their own fresh, nutritious food
- Urgent disaster relief delivered through our fleet of Mobile Soup Kitchens, ensuring rapid response in times of crisis
We also provide much-needed nutritional support to early childhood development (ECD) centres, recognising the role of proper nutrition in lifelong learning and development. In collaboration with suppliers and partner organisations, we work to strengthen our network of beneficiaries and extend our reach to those who need it most.
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195 659 | |
| MEALS SERVED PER DAY | ||
| To vulnerable communities through our CSI progammes | |
|
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88 427 kg | |
| PRODUCE | ||
| Harvested through 248 community food gardens | |
|
The Group’s surplus food donations serve a dual purpose: we help communities in need while reducing the environmental impact of surplus food being wasted. In the last financial year, we donated R258million surplus food and goods (FY 2025).
Adequate nutrition is essential for learning. We provide support to improve the circumstances of children in selected Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres at a critical time in their development. In the last financial year, we supported 138 ECD centres, benefiting over 9 000 children (FY 2025). The meals we provide are designed to nourish physical health and growth, and boost mental concentration.
In addition, we provide skills and development training to aid ECD practitioners in providing safe and stimulating day-care centres.
As part of our ongoing care for our communities, we offer support when natural disasters occur. Since its inception in 2007, our Mobile Soup Kitchens have served more than 61.1 million* meals to those in need. We are often among the first to respond to communities in distress by providing hunger relief and provided 8.9 million hot meals throughout the year (FY 2025).
Youth unemployment and skills development
We invest in and train both employed and unemployed youth who are interested in pursuing a career in retail. This is done largely through pivotal Group programmes such as our Retail Readiness Programme (RRP), the Youth Employment Services (YES) Initiative, and our extensive bursary programme. These programmes provide individuals with the skills required to secure jobs in the retail industry.
Enterprise supplier development
By supporting local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME), we help to create a transformed and inclusive society. Our network and scale enable us to grow SMMEs into larger-scale suppliers by providing them with access to market. Our focus lies on growing expenditure on SMME suppliers, particularly black-owned and black women-owned businesses. As these businesses grow, more employment opportunities are created within communities.
As part of our ongoing enterprise supplier development (ESD) initiatives, we also provide vital aid to farmers through seasonal growing programmes and access to our distribution centres.