SPAR has around 1,700 stores in South Africa, but the retailer says its 2026 financial performance is expected to fall behind 2025 as its turnaround takes longer to translate into earnings and cash generation. Gareth Edwards and Francis Herd unpack why SPAR operates differently from competitors such as Shoprite, with independent retailers trading under the brand and tailoring stores to the communities they serve.
That model once offered a powerful neighbourhood advantage, but the competitive landscape is changing. Checkers Sixty60 has made grocery delivery part of everyday shopping behaviour, while SPAR is working to strengthen its own digital offer and its relationship with independent retailers. The bigger question is not only whether SPAR can turn itself around, but what strong grocery competition means for consumer choice, jobs, suppliers and the prices South Africans ultimately pay.
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Chapter List
(00:00) 1,700 SPAR stores and a troubled turnaround
(01:44) Why SPAR works differently from Shoprite
(04:10) Can SPAR compete with Sixty60?
(05:44) Tensions between SPAR and its store owners
(06:43) Why SPAR’s struggles matter to consumers
