Not a week seems to go by without receiving news of some or other delivery outfit teaming up with a retailer, and this one is no exception. SPAR and Uber Eats are the latest duo, having announced that they will be partnering to cover grocery and liquor deliveries from 150 SPAR and Tops stores, with plans to reach up to 400 stores by the end of the year. The partnership may even be expanded in future to SPAR Pharmacy and Build it deliveries if things work out. You may recall that SPAR already partners with township delivery services such as Delivery Ka Speed and KasiD, and this new collaboration with Uber Eats will extend SPAR’s reach into even more underserved areas, alongside urban locations, of course. “By partnering with Uber Eats, we aim to provide our customers with greater convenience, value and speed, while maintaining the quality, affordability of daily deals, and the community-first innovation that defines SPAR,” says Blake Raubenheimer, SPAR’s omnichannel exec.

SKUBU, that’s who. Launched on 19 May 2025 as a pilot in Diepsloot, SKUBU is South Africa’s first fully automated refill store offering a retail model where customers refill staples like maize meal, oil, and cleaning products from dedicated stations instead of buying pre-packaged goods. It was created to reduce packaging waste and lower costs, delivering on the need for more affordable shopping options in low-income communities while supporting sustainability goals. Shoppers load money onto a SKUBU card, which they use to tap and buy products at fixed prices per litre or kilogram, with products like Sunlight dishwashing liquid available from as little as R4 per 100ml. Operated by Sonke (Pty) Ltd. and backed by partners such as the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) and Unilever, SKUBU targets budget-conscious consumers seeking value and environmentally friendly choices. Locals, according to SKUBU worker Onthatile, are enthusiastic about this first-of-its-kind store in South Africa. Besides promoting local brands like MANZI Water, SKUBU demonstrates how innovative retail concepts can address both environmental and socio-economic challenges, potentially transforming the future of retail in the country.

We start off with Pick n Pay – or Takealot, depending on your POV – which will be rolling out Pickup Points for the latter in the former’s supermarkets. What began with just two pilot locations in 2023 has expanded to 30 Takealot Pickup Points in Pick n Pays across the country. Between February and May this year, collections at the locations doubled and the service now processes over 14,000 collections per month, with more than 45,000 unique customers having used it to date. We move on to Woolworths, which has seen a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal swing in its favour. The matter in dispute was Woolies’ right to claim over R8m in input VAT relating to underwriting fees resulting from its rights offer to fund the purchase of David Jones back in 2014. SARS maintained that the rights offer was an isolated transaction which did not fall within the retailers’ usual scope of business, and hence VAT could not be claimed. The court disagreed, saying that since the retailer operates as an active investment holding company, where raising capital is an integral part of its business, claiming VAT back is legit. And still with Woolworths, after 25 years of partnering with Engen, The Dapper One has opened its 100th Foodstop at Engen’s new flagship Sandton Convenience Centre. The centre also includes a Quickshop & Co. convenience store, Café 365 bakery with Brazmata barista coffee and a Nando’s outlet and can be found at 104 Katherine Street, if you’d like to go pay them a visit.