Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, will this year open its first branded stores in South Africa, setting up a contest with other global outlets in Africa’s most advanced economy.
The US retailer said it will offer “a variety of locally sourced products” — from groceries and apparel to technology — while adhering to “global standards.” Sites for the stores are “in development,” with opening dates to be announced in October, the company said.
Until now, Walmart’s presence in South Africa has been through its ownership of Massmart, a group with a portfolio of four separate retail brands across 300 stores in eight sub-Saharan African countries. By setting up its own stores, Walmart steps into direct competition with Amazon, which launched in South Africa last year, as well as low-cost Chinese online shops Shein and Temu, which already outpace other global retailers in the country.