Checkers and Woolworths fighting over your cats and dogs

Checkers and Woolworths are increasingly battling over South Africa’s surging pet market, which is estimated to be worth R10.4 billion. 

Apart from its scale, this segment of the market offers something most don’t – growth. The pet market grew by over 15% in 2025, Trade Intelligence data shows. 

This makes it an incredibly lucrative opportunity for retailers to meaningfully improve their top and bottom lines in a stagnant economy. 

Retail sales largely move in line with disposable income, which has remained flat in South Africa for the past 15 years. 

This has left retailers to pursue price increases, enhance efficiency, and take market share from each other as the only meaningful ways to grow their businesses. 

These practices are unsustainable, which can be seen in the struggles experienced by two of South Africa’s retailers – Pick n Pay and SPAR. 

Neither has been able to compete with the pricing power of Woolworths nor match Shoprite’s scale and efficiency, leaving them in a middle market that is not growing. 

Another way in which retailers can grow their businesses is by moving into adjacent markets which offer attractive returns and profit pools. 

One such market is finance, with retailers increasingly looking to extend credit or buy-now-pay-later services to increase trading density and tap into South Africa’s huge finance profit pools. 

South Africa’s burgeoning pet market is another area in which retailers are increasingly expanding into to boost revenue and profits. 

“As major retailers look for growth and value beyond the traditional store model, the pet category has emerged as one of the most dynamic and competitive spaces in retail,” Trade Intelligence research lead Caroline Short said. 

This segment of retail is also attractive due to it sitting at the intersection of emotional spending, premiumisation, convenience, and loyalty. 

As a result, the R10.4 billion has become a key battleground for South Africa’s major retailers, offering one of the few chances to grow both their top and bottom line in a traditional retail setting. 

Checkers and Woolworths do battle

The emotional attachment many individuals have to their pets makes the sector increasingly lucrative amid a stagnant local economy and geopolitical tension. 

 “According to our research, over 98% of shoppers aged 24 and younger agree that pets are a part of their family. As a result of this strong emotional bond, pet care has become a protected spending category,” Short said. 

This does not make it immune to economic conditions, but it does make the pet sector extremely resilient in the face of economic headwinds. 

Trade Intelligence’s research also indicates that consumers are incredibly loyal towards their preferred pet store. 

The research shows that much of the growth is not driven by replacing the main meal or food source, but by layering other products and services on top of it. 

This ranges from pet insurance to simple rubber toys, with pet stores looking to create an ecosystem whereby consumers source all their pet needs in one location. 

“The anchor food product that remains a non-negotiable purchase for both cat and dog owners is dry food, or pellets,” Short said. 

But shoppers are increasingly using a ‘base + supplement’ strategy, adding treats, wet food or raw/fresh options to their pets’ food bowls to enhance nutrition or palatability.

In the broader retail market, the pet store aims to lock customers into a particular brand, whether it be Checkers, Woolworths or SPAR. 

These retailers want individuals to buy all their goods from their personal dinner through to a dog’s blanket. 

As a result, Trade Intelligence has flagged a proliferation of specialist pet stores by South Africa’s corporate grocery chains. 

This includes Checkers PetShop Science, Woolworths’ Absolute Pets and SPAR’s Pet Storey. 

“At the most recent count, the tally is approaching the 350-store mark across the retailers, with all our majors underlining their intention to grow their specialist pet formats further,” Short said.

One area where there is clear dominance is eCommerce, with Checkers Sixty60 being able to penetrate 95% of the online dog food market.