Retail News in Southern Africa

Call for applications: Impact Fund for African Creatives' accelerator programme

The Impact Fund for African Creatives (IFFAC) is calling on designers to apply for its accelerator programme. The programme is focused on supporting and strengthening emerging African brands...

21 May 2019

Coca-Cola to retain majority stake in Africa bottling business

The Coca-Cola Company has announced that it will maintain its majority stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, abandoning plans to refranchise its Africa bottling business...

21 May 2019

#AfricaMonth: Alain Dos Santos on growing Montblanc's luxury legacy in Africa

While a growing number of international brands are waking up to the promise of Africa as a valuable market for luxury goods, Montblanc has been steadily growing its presence on the continent for close to 30 years...

By Lauren Hartzenberg 20 May 2019

Plastic warms the planet twice as much as aviation - here's how to make it climate-friendly

We're all too aware of the consequences of plastics in the oceans and on land. However, beyond the visible pollution of our once pristine habitats, plastics are having a grave impact on the climate too...

By Laurie Wright 16 May 2019

The most valuable global retail brands for 2019

The results of the second annual BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands have been revealed. The research shows that the world's most valuable retail brands are worth $339 billion more...

14 May 2019

Instagram's @shop a curated showcase of shoppable products

Instagram has launched a @shop account, essentially a curation of posts from online merchants that sell products through the image-sharing app.

14 May 2019

Best in global visual merchandising awarded

The winners of the 2019 International VM Awards were announced at the RetailExpo in London...

13 May 2019

Katja Thielen, creative director and founder of the UK’s Together Design and this year's Loeries design jury president...

#Loeries2019: "Discover how different cultures are reflected through their creativity and ideas" - Katja Thielen

I chatted to the international jury presidents ahead of the upcoming Loeries Creative Week. Kicking off the series is this year's design jury president Katja Thielen, creative director and founder of the UK's Together Design...

By Leigh Andrews 10 May 2019

Successful retail chatbot interactions to grow eightfold by 2023

The global number of successful retail chatbot interactions will reach 22 billion by 2023, up from an estimated 2.6 billion in 2019, as AI offers compelling new engagement solutions...

9 May 2019

Meshack Mulaudzi is giving African children positive representation through toys

By simply trying to create a doll that his daughter could identify with, Meshack Mulaudzi embarked on a doll-making journey that spreads positivity to African children...

3 May 2019

Autograph Gin rated best in Africa

The International Gin Guide Awards has released its results for 2019 and South Africa's Autograph Gin was voted Best Gin in Africa...

2 May 2019

2019 Dezeen Awards open for entries

Following a successful launch last year, the second edition of the Dezeen Awards is now open for entries...

2 May 2019

Phygital: 6 ways to adapt, or die

Innovative phygital business models, where bricks and mortar and digital seamlessly integrate, are popping up across the globe. But the best phygital experiences still remain aligned with old-school sales strategies...

By Eben Esterhuizen 30 Apr 2019

Online marketplace Thola Africa shines a light on local artisans

New online marketplace Tholaafrica.com is making it easier to shop African artisanal wares, with its selection of bespoke fashion and décor crafted by local creatives and designers...

26 Apr 2019

New study reveals top trends in online payments in MENA

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the approval rate rose by 5.1% bringing MENA's rate just 3% behind the rest of the world. Due to the high transaction value in the travel industry, card approval rates have seen a slower growth rate than other industries...

By Fundisiwe Maseko 25 Apr 2019

Up, close and very personalised

The shift to a more individualised society that values experiences more than goods has resulted in a strong drive towards personalisation...

By Refilwe Maluleke 23 Apr 2019

Six steps to successful customer relationship management

As Easter looms businesses are looking for powerful ways to promote their goods and activate more sales. This should include beefing up customer relationship management (CMR) systems to streamline communication with potential clients and encourage more sales. Here are six steps to sprucing up your CRM and captivating customers at every touch point along the way...

By Eben Esterhuizen 16 Apr 2019

#CNILux: The creative cultural legacy of MaXhosa by Laduma

The striking textile and knitwear designs conceived by South African golden boy Laduma Ngxokolo are not simply stylish collectables, they're vehicles of cultural preservation...

By Lauren Hartzenberg 16 Apr 2019

#CNILux: Models of colour are not a trend, we are here to stay - Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell wants to see better representation among designers and more African-based designers reaching the international fashion arena...

By Liam Freeman 15 Apr 2019

Landmark NYSE listing for Africa's unicorn, Jumia

Pan-African e-commerce platform, Jumia, has become the first African startup to list on the New York Stock Exchange...

15 Apr 2019

DHL launches Africa eShop, connecting global brands with African shoppers

DHL Express has launched Africa eShop, a platform enabling customers to shop directly from more than 200 US- and UK-based online retailers...

11 Apr 2019

#CNILux: Global luxury industry shifts gaze to Africa

The fifth annual Condé Nast International Luxury Conference kicked off in Cape Town yesterday, bringing some of the biggest names in global luxury to African soil...

By Lauren Hartzenberg 11 Apr 2019

Cotton On Group expands into Botswana

Fashion retailer Cotton On Group opened its first store in Botswana recently. The store includes Group brands Cotton On, Rubi, Cotton On Body and Cotton On Kids...

10 Apr 2019

The need for speed in modern retail

In an age where leisure time is an increasingly precious commodity, customers are placing an even greater premium on convenience...

By Refilwe Maluleke 8 Apr 2019

Beyoncé teams up with Adidas in "partnership of a lifetime"

Beyoncé Knowles has signed a partnership with Adidas, which will see the singer become a creative partner to the company, developing new apparel and footwear across the performance and lifestyle categories...

8 Apr 2019

HP targets fraudulent manufacturers in East Africa

Alongside local African authorities, HP's ACF team have conducted two highly successful operations to stop the trade of counterfeit cartridges for HP printers across Uganda and Mozambique...

By Daniëlle Kruger 4 Apr 2019

PwC releases consumer insights survey for 2019

Anton Hugo, retail & consumer leader for PwC Africa and associate directors Rashaad Fortune and Andries Geertsema presented PwC's 2019 Global Consumer Insights Survey at the Peech Hotel in Johannesburg on 3 April...

3 Apr 2019

Coricraft embraces digital in store

Coricraft is weaving digital elements into its physical stores, enhancing the in-store environment and making the path to purchase simpler...

By Lauren Hartzenberg 1 Apr 2019

FMCG recycling commitments no cure for plastic crisis

The launch of the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance by consumer goods companies including Diageo, Unilever, The Coca Cola Company and Nestlé is not a cure-all for the plastic crisis...

29 Mar 2019

Nigeria gains new distiller following 1960 Rootz acquisition

Kensington Distillers and Vintners has acquired the 1960 Rootz brand to form Monument Distillers Nigeria Limited which will also represent a range of international brands in Nigeria...

29 Mar 2019

Special Sections

Retail News Southern Africa

#AfricaMonth

Subscribe to industry newsletters

Business