Maputo, Mar. 4, 2026 (Lusa) - South African retailer Shoprite's revenue grew 7.1% in the second half of 2025 to 138.9 billion rand (€7.25 billion), but the retail group acknowledged “adverse conditions” in Mozambique.
The group's latest financial report, released on Tuesday, states that sales in Shoprite's supermarket segment outside South Africa grew by 12.1% during this period, a figure that falls to 9.5% at a stable exchange rate.
“From a profitability perspective, the performance of this segment remains challenging, notably impacted in this period by adverse conditions in Mozambique,” reads the group's financial report, which has previously acknowledged reviewing its position in the country.
The Shoprite group's revenues totalled 129.7 billion rand (€6.77 billion) in the first half of 2025, according to the report, while global sales from July to December reached 136.8 billion rand (€7.14 billion).
The group also reports that it opened 273 new stores across Africa in 2025 and created 1,711 new direct jobs in the last six months. In the furniture business, Shoprite reports that it has “discontinued” operations in Angola and Mozambique.
“We maintain a disciplined approach to capital allocation and portfolio focus, and following the recent classification of our operations in Ghana and Malawi as discontinued operations, our scope of operations on the continent now covers seven countries, all located relatively close to our headquarters in South Africa,” the report states.
The Shoprite supermarket chain told Lusa in September that it was analysing its continued presence in Mozambique, where it operates 26 stores, as part of its consolidation process in the continent's markets.
“The group has consolidated its African operations in recent years, and we continue to closely monitor the situation in Mozambique,” said an official source at Shoprite, adding that the country “is on a watch list” regarding the continuity of the operation “due to current challenges in the operating environment.”
"No final decision has been made regarding our operations in the country. Should this change, we will communicate any news to the market,“ the source added.
In November 2024, the South African supermarket chain temporarily closed stores in Maputo and ”other high-risk areas" due to post-election protests that led to looting and vandalism in the capital.
According to the 2024 report and accounts, Shoprite—which operates in nine African countries, in addition to South Africa—employed 1,234 workers in Mozambique at the end of the year.
In 2024, it reduced the number of stores in the country to 26, down from 27 in 2024, according to the same document.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
