Shoprite coming after Capitec, Absa, Standard Bank and FNB in South Africa
Shoprite has announced that its Checkers and Shoprite 60 Sixty service will now offer airtime, data, and digital vouchers on its online platform.
“Whether topping up, sending to family and friends, or gifting, Shoprite and Checkers customers can now purchase airtime, data and digital vouchers, all through Sixty60,” the company said.
Shoprite said this service would be electronic and would be delivered to customers instantly via SMS.
“Purchases are delivered instantly via SMS to either the sender or recipient, and no minimum basket value is required,” it said.
The new service will include airtime and data from all of South Africa’s major mobile networks, the company said.
“The offering includes airtime and data across all major mobile networks, namely Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, Cell C and Shoprite K’nect,” it said.
It will also offer digital vouchers for “popular platforms such as App Store & iTunes, Google Play, Uber and PlayStation Wallet Top Up.”
These services are already offered by the retail giant in its physical stores, with the expansion being prompted by changing consumer demand.
“Sixty60 is responding to this evolving behaviour by enabling customers to purchase airtime and data alongside their everyday shopping on the platforms they already use,” Shoprite said.
The company said the decision was also prompted by the scale of airtime and data in the Value-Added Service (VAS) industry in South Africa.
The company referenced a report by Electrum, which found that the VAS industry had a market size of approximately R500 billion.
The report also noted that approximately 95% of South Africans purchase either airtime or data, making it the most popular VAS offering.
“With 95% usage, in a country where mobile access is often the only digital touchpoint, prepaid airtime and data is no longer a luxury—it is a lifeline that supports modern human needs,” Electrum author Helen Whelan said.
The report also found that banking apps were the most popular method for purchasing these products in South Africa, preferred over physical locations.
“Airtime and data are among South Africa’s most frequently purchased value-added services, with 95% of consumers surveyed reporting that they use them,” Shoprite said.
“While these services continue to be purchased through physical channels, digital platforms are increasingly important, with banking apps the preferred channel for 61% of airtime and data purchases.”
Sixty60 has been a major growth driver for Shoprite since it launched the service in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel restrictions and nationwide shutdowns in the following year fuelled the service’s popularity, with it continuing to grow afterwards.
While other retailers, such as Woolworths, Spar, and Pick n Pay have also entered the grocery delivery business, Shoprite has held on to a large share of the market.
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