SA retailers have enough stock for Black Friday and Christmas

South African retailers have enough stock for Black Friday and Christmas and do not foresee that they will run out due to the broken global supply chain. This is thanks to planning ahead and the retailers selling more locally produced goods than imported goods.

Responding to a query, a spokesperson for Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets said they were well prepared for the upcoming season and have bought millions of products to give customers a variety of options to choose from.  

“Although there are constraints in global supply chains and ports, the Shoprite Group continues to monitor the supply chain situation and remains in daily contact with factories, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders to adequately manage the flow of goods and product distribution.” 

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The Group visibly tracks and monitors orders and shipments to plan well in advance and react to sudden changes in supply. 

“Our efficiencies and continuity achieved through scale, competency in logistics and supply chain management, as well as investment in systems, have contributed significantly towards operational efficiencies. The Group’s centralised supply chain and distribution network are key components in our business to provide affordable products.”

Tamra Veley, spokesperson for Pick n Pay, said the retailer also plans months in advance to ensure it has the right stock for its customers during one of the biggest shopping events of the year.

“This year is no different. Most of our products are locally made and for the small percentage of products we import, we are working hard to ensure they arrive in good time. We are excited to offer customers bigger and better discounts this Black Friday on the items they really need and want.”

A spokesperson for Woolworths said the global supply chain issues had minimal impact on stock availability in certain areas of the business.

“However, we are confident that we have sufficient stock for Black Friday and the festive period. All retailers will be affected by the increased supply chain costs and we will control these through various cost-cutting initiatives to limit any impact on the end consumer.”