Shoprite has accelerated its e-commerce push by extending the services of its market-leading on-demand delivery platform Sixty60 to its pet-care business, Petshop Science.
The partnership, announced on Wednesday, unlocks same-day delivery of more than 3,500 pet-care products including premium food, vet-approved essentials, toys and treats, fulfilled directly from nearest Petshop Science stores.
The group said customers in parts of Cape Town, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape can now receive their orders within 60 minutes.
“For added convenience, Petshop Science customers can order on any device, either through the Sixty60 app or e-commerce site that provide a seamless experience with the same features and product offering across desktop, mobile, tablet and even Smart TV,” it said.
This partnership marks the latest evolution of two of Shoprite’s fastest-growing innovations and signals its ambition to own not only the grocery basket, but also an increasing share of modern household spending including pet care, which has become one of the most resilient consumer categories.
Launched in 2021, Petshop Science has rapidly grown into a strong player in the country’s more than R8bn pet-care market. With 143 stores across eight provinces and a focus on affordable, trusted brands, the chain has rapidly built a loyal customer base.
Shoprite was the first supermarket group in SA to launch a stand-alone pet retail chain offering a broad selection at supermarket prices.
Rival Woolworths moved to counter this momentum by acquiring a 93.45% stake in Absolute Pets in 2023, a deal finalised in early 2024. Absolute Pets has about 150 stores nationwide, reinforcing Woolworths’ foothold in the fast-growing niche.
For both retailers, pet care has become a strategic service for consumers who treat their as family. According to 2023 data from Euromonitor, SA is home to more than 22-million pets, with annual spending on food and accessories expected to grow by 2.5% through 2026.
For the six months to December 2024, Petshop Science delivered sales growth of 56.9%, signalling a rising demand for affordable, high-quality pet-care options.
“Our unwavering commitment to provide value on premium pet food and veterinary-approved essentials has won the hearts and minds of our customers. Now it’s time to ramp up our efforts by partnering with Sixty60 to offer customers unrivalled convenience, delivering quality right to their doorstep,” said Petshop Science general manager Trevor Paxton said.
Launched in late 2019, Sixty60 pioneered 60-minute grocery deliveries and became a lifeline during the Covid-19 lockdowns, helping Shoprite reach digitally engaged shoppers.
The service has since expanded to all nine provinces, integrated with the Xtra Savings loyalty programme, and added a wide range of general merchandise from appliances to camping gear.
A desktop site with synced profiles and baskets now complements the app, and recently the group announced the service will be rolling out at select Shoprite stores, no longer exclusive to Checkers.
According to Shoprite, the new pet care service will be rolled out nationally by the end of July.
Shoprite, Africa’s largest retailer last year moved to take full ownership of Pingo Delivery — its logistics partner behind the successful Checkers Sixty60 service — after the Competition Commission recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve the deal without conditions.
Pingo was established in 2022 through an equal joint venture between Shoprite and RTT Group. The partnership followed the rapid growth of Shoprite’s on-demand delivery of groceries, Checkers Sixty60.
Checkers Sixty60 is SA’s top on-demand grocery delivery app, with more than 2.3-million downloads.
With Kabelo Khumalo
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