New South African store has much lower prices than Checkers and Pick n Pay

Walmart, which launched in South Africa at the end of 2025, has significantly lower prices on everyday products than Checkers and Pick n Pay.

An analysis by Daily Investor on a basket of groceries showed that Walmart nearly always had the lowest price, except when Checkers or Pick n Pay ran a special.

Walmart owns Massmart, which is the parent company of well-known South African retailers such as Makro, Builders, and Game.

In late 2025, Walmart shifted its strategy from only acting as a holding company to becoming a direct competitor in the South African grocery and retail market.

On 22 November 2025, the global retail giant opened the first official Walmart-branded store in South Africa at Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.

Shortly afterwards, the second Walmart store opened at Fourways Mall. Both stores were an instant hit with consumers.

These stores are positioned to compete directly with Checkers and Pick n Pay by implementing Walmart’s global “Every Day Low Prices” model.

This approach moves away from the traditional South African retail model of high-low pricing, where clients have to shop around for specials to get the best deal.

A major component of the launch was the introduction of a new Walmart Shopping app, which offers 60-minute delivery.

The Walmart App allows customers to shop for groceries, electronics, and apparel within a single digital ecosystem.

This means that Walmart competes directly against Shoprite’s Sixty60 and Pick n Pay’s asap! delivery services.

Although Walmart’s service is currently linked to its two Gauteng stores, Walmart has aggressive expansion plans for South Africa.

The retailer is looking to expand to Cape Town in the Western Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal this year.

Walmart versus Checkers and Pick n Pay

Walmart’s entry into South Africa has made the already competitive grocery market even more cutthroat.

Walmart’s scale and expertise mean that it poses a significant threat to any retailer in any market it enters. South Africa is no exception.

The retailer’s “Every Day Low Prices” model is popular among consumers and puts margin pressure on other retailers.

This is exactly what is happening in South Africa – Walmart’s prices are consistently lower than those of its main competitors.

Daily Investor created a small basket of everyday products, including milk, bread, breakfast cereal, and frozen products.

The pricing comparison showed that Walmart was cheaper on nearly all products, except when Checkers or Pick n Pay ran a special promotion.

This aligns with Walmart’s “Every Day Low Prices” strategy and the other retailers’ high-low promotional culture.

The lower basket cost means that South African consumers, especially those who are under financial strain, are likely to frequent Walmart.

However, the legendary former CEO of Shoprite, Whitey Basson, argued that it would not be easy for Walmart to gain market share.

Basson said new blood is good for the sector and that the competition will force South African retailers to stay sharp.

However, he was sceptical of Walmart’s “Every Day Low Price” model’s success in the local market.

He said South African consumers were used to the high-low promotional culture, with specials and loyalty points, from retailers like Checkers and Pick n Pay.

He added that as a new entrant, Walmart lacks the large volumes required to drive prices down further than local retailers already have.

Grocery price comparison between Walmart, Checkers, and Pick n Pay

The table below shows Daily Investor’s price comparison for a basket of the same products from Walmart, Checkers, and Pick n Pay.