Big changes for Woolworths, Pick n Pay, and SPAR in South Africa
Three of South Africa’s biggest retailers are turning to new leadership to revive growth or accelerate turnaround plans as competition intensifies in one of the continent’s most developed consumer markets.
SPAR said Monday it expects to name a new chairman and additional independent directors by early November.
Pick n Pay last week named former Woolworths executive Spencer Sonn as its next chief executive, while Woolworths installed company veteran Sam Ngumeni as CEO in June.
The shakeup coincides with intensifying competitive pressures as market leader Shoprite takes an aggressive approach to pricing and expansion, and Walmart last year started rolling out its namesake stores in South Africa.
“The arrival of Walmart supercenters and Shoprite’s robust price response means that the turnarounds at Pick n Pay and SPAR need renewed impetus to ensure sales gains, which can be delivered by new leadership,” said Charles Allen, a London-based analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.
Woolworths chose a CEO from within its ranks, probably with the aim of “clearing internal barriers to growth,” he said.
Pick n Pay is trying to restore profitability to its core supermarket business after years of losing ground to rivals.
Sonn, who previously ran Woolworths’ South African food business, will work alongside current CEO Sean Summers as the turnaround continues.
At SPAR, the board overhaul accompanies an operational recovery that has yet to deliver sufficient earnings and cash benefits.
The company warned Monday that its 2026 financial performance will be weaker than last year, with pressure concentrated in its Southern African grocery and liquor operations.
Woolworths is in a stronger financial position, but Ngumeni moved quickly after taking charge to restructure the group’s operating model, saying it needed clearer accountability and faster decision-making.
The leadership changes show how three established retailers are facing the challenge of turning around businesses just as competition for South African shoppers gets tougher.
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