Pick n Pay’s secret weapon to take on Checkers Sixty60

Shoppers will now be able to order products from Pick n Pay Clothing through the retailer’s asap! app, as part of the company’s efforts to turn its on-demand platform into a “super app”.

This comes as South African retailers are fighting for market share on a new battleground – online on-demand delivery – with Shoprite’s Checkers Sixty60 platform currently the market leader.

On Monday, 2 March, Pick n Pay announced an upgrade to its asap! platform with the introduction of products from Pick n Pay Clothing.

While groceries can currently be ordered through the app with on-demand 60-minute delivery, customers can also order clothing, which is delivered within 3 to 5 working days. Delivery will cost R60, with free delivery on orders over R600.

Previously, Pick n Pay Clothing had a standalone online website, launched in 2020, which has seen consistent year-on-year growth.

However, the company explained that it effectively operated at capacity compared to that of its largest physical store. 

“Integrating clothing into the asap! app unlocks significant growth potential by giving the brand access to millions of existing app users,” said Pick n Pay Clothing executive Hazel Pillay.

“There is a strong demand for affordable, quality clothing, and the launch of Clothing on the app allows us to reach customers who previously may not have had easy access to our clothing offer in stores.”

The company said all online clothing orders will be fulfilled from a dedicated Johannesburg “dark store”, which will maximise stock availability. 

The integration of Pick n Pay Clothing onto the existing asap! app will allow customers to interact with the retailer’s products on a platform they are already familiar with.

“Customers don’t have to relearn how to shop or use the app – it will feel familiar, and their profile, Smart Shopper details and payment information remain the same,” Pillay explained.

In addition, this update will also integrate the retailer’s partnership with FNB, allowing qualifying FNB eBucks customers to earn up to 30% back on clothing purchases made through asap!.

Previously, customers only earned 20% back on in-store clothing purchases.

The retailer explained that this marks another step in Pick n Pay asap’s evolution from an on-demand grocery platform into a ‘super app’.

“From a platform perspective, the addition of Clothing builds on the scale of Pick n Pay asap!, its digital infrastructure and its established loyalty ecosystem,” Pick n Pay explained. 

The asap! Platform has been a major driver of the group’s online performance in recent years, with online turnover having grown 31.8% in the 48 weeks ended 1 February 2026.

The company is banking on this platform and various other turnaround initiatives to improve its financial performance after years of decline.

It comes at a time when competition in South Africa’s retail industry is fierce, and the online on-demand platform battle is even more so.

Shoprite’s Checkers Sixty60 offering has been the reigning champion for years, but competition remains strong as all of South Africa’s listed food retailers are investing heavily in their answer to Sixty60 – Pick n Pay with asap!, Woolworths with Woolies Dash, and SPAR with SPAR2U.