{
  "id": 673394,
  "title": "Shoprite’s Sixty60 is now a $1.6 billion digital commerce business",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/shoprites-sixty60-is-now-a-1-6-billion-digital-commerce-business",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-12T14:49:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCabal",
    "slug": "techcabal",
    "url": "https://techcabal.com/2026/08/12/shoprites-sixty60-is-now-a-1-6-billion-digital-commerce-business/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Shoprite's digital commerce platform, Sixty60, generated R25.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in sales during the year ended June 2026, marking a 34.5% growth compared to the previous year. This rapid growth is nearly five times faster than Shoprite's core South African supermarket business, which saw a 7.1% increase over the same period. The digital platform leverages Shoprite's extensive physical store network, which consists of almost 3,000 stores across South Africa, providing a robust fulfillment infrastructure for online orders.\n\nShoprite reported R270.8 billion ($16.8 billion) in sales from continuing operations, up from R252.7 billion ($15.7 billion) in 2025, resulting in R18.1 billion ($1.1 billion) in sales growth. However, the standout growth came from Sixty60, which now accounts for almost 9.4% of the group's total reported sales. The platform's growth is bolstered by Shoprite's aggressive expansion of its physical footprint, with the Supermarkets South Africa (Supermarkets RSA) business opening a net 262 stores during the year, bringing its store count to 2,839.\n\nThe contrast in growth rates between Sixty60 and Shoprite's physical stores highlights the strategy of using existing infrastructure to support digital orders. While Supermarkets South Africa sales grew by 7.1%, Sixty60 sales surged by 34.5%, outpacing the broader group's 7.2% increase. Despite the strong digital growth, Shoprite maintains competitive pricing, with internal selling price inflation at just 0.8% for the year, below the inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages in South Africa, which stood at 3.9%.\n\nThe company's focus remains on connecting its store network to digital demand, rather than replacing physical retail with digital commerce. This approach allows Sixty60 to benefit from a ready-made fulfillment footprint, generated from R25.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in sales. Shoprite anticipates a rise in headline earnings per share from continuing operations between 9.7% and 14.7% for the year, with the full 2026 results set to be released on September 1, 2026.",
  "summary": "The numbers show how the retailer is turning its vast physical store network into infrastructure for a rapidly expanding digital commerce business.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sixty60 digital commerce generated $1.6 billion in sales in 2026",
    "34.5% growth rate outpaces Shoprite's physical stores growth",
    "9.4% of group's total sales attributed to Sixty60 platform"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}