This week Shoprite served its 100 millionth R5 deli meal since launching the affordable meal options almost two years ago and over R509 million in surplus food from all of its stores has been donated to hundreds of non-profit organisations that collectively feed thousands of hungry people daily.
Shoprite said in a media release that despite escalating petrol and electricity prices, the VAT increase and the introduction of the sugar tax, the retailer remained true to its business promise of low prices in order to bring consumers some much-needed relief. In fact, at the end of December 2018, Shoprite was selling more than 10 000 items at lower prices than the previous year.
“Africa’s largest retailer works tirelessly to provide hard-pressed customers, pensioners and students with products that are affordable and accessible, such as the range of heavily discounted deli meals for just R5 or less which was launched in May 2017.”
The discounted meals include fried fish (R5), potato hash brown (R2), small pap (R3), pancake (R3), sweetcorn on a stick (R2,50) and vegetable soup (R3). Over the past two years, large igwinya (vetkoek) at R3, fried egg and tomato sandwich at R4 and a hot dog at R3,50 have proven to be the three most popular meals.
“Shoprite recognises the severe financial pressures which affect many South Africans and will continue to present consumers with innovative and value-added promotions so as to deliver the lowest prices on food and household essentials every day. It subsidises the cost of basic food items and has extended its bread subsidy indefinitely, with its 600g in-house bakery bread retailing for just R4,99 since April 2016.
The Shoprite Group’s robust hunger relief programme aims to address the food security challenges faced by so many people across the African continent, and it has served more than 37 million cups of soup to communities in need, planted 62 food gardens and trained 1 302 small-scale farmers.
Shoprite is fighting for its customers in reaction to petrol and other price increases and will not stop doing so until no one is left hungry,” the statement concluded.
Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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