End of an era for Shoprite, Pick n Pay, or SPAR in shopping malls in South Africa

Major supermarket groups in South Africa, including Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and SPAR, will no longer be able to secure exclusive grocery retail space lease agreements in shopping malls, a move by the Competition Commission aimed at boosting competition and consumer choice. This change follows a Grocery Retail Market Inquiry that found such agreements restricted competition, limited consumer choice, and hindered emerging retailers' entry into the market. As a result, smaller retailers are set to gain a foothold in malls nationwide.