consumerlatest news & developments
With fuel prices set to rise again, inflation expected to climb and borrowing costs increasing, electric and hybrid vehicles could offer South African consumers a way to reduce their monthly transport costs.
ELECTRIC CARS

Could EVs be South Africa’s answer to rising fuel, power and borrowing costs?

Are rising costs starting to tip the maths in an EV's favour?

  • Ashley Lechman
7 min read
Rising electricity, water and transport costs are putting added pressure on South African household budgets, leaving less money available for groceries.
CONSUMER

Bills first, groceries last: SA’s household reality

Why does cheaper food still feel unaffordable?

  • Lutho Pasiya
4 min read
Rising electricity and fuel costs are changing how South Africans think about energy and transport, with solar power and electric vehicles increasingly viewed as ways to protect household budgets.
CONSUMER

Why South Africans are going green — and it’s not just about the planet

From their driveways to their rooftops, South Africans are doing the maths on energy costs.

  • Ashley Lechman
4 min read
Consumers face mounting pressure.
GDP

GDP contraction puts pressure on South African consumers

South Africa’s latest economic number tells a bigger story.

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
Brent crude has moved closer to $100 a barrel as renewed US-Iran tensions disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising the risk of another South African fuel-price increase in October.
OIL

Brent nears $100 after Hormuz tensions, raising fuel-price concerns

Brent crude has moved closer to $100 a barrel as renewed US-Iran tensions disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising the risk of another South African fuel-price…

  • Ashley Lechman
4 min read
South African motorists face sharp September fuel increases, with diesel rising by up to R3.15 a litre and petrol increasing by R1.34.
FUEL CRISIS

Fuel prices rise sharply as South African motorists face higher September costs

South African motorists face sharp September fuel increases, with diesel rising by up to R3.15 a litre and petrol increasing by R1.34.

  • Ashley Lechman
4 min read
South Africa’s energy crisis is shifting from electricity shortages to affordability, with rising electricity, petrol and paraffin costs placing vulnerable households under growing financial pressure.
CONSUMER

South Africa’s energy poverty crisis deepens as rising costs push consumers further into debt

South Africa’s energy crisis is shifting from electricity shortages to affordability, with rising electricity, petrol and paraffin costs placing vulnerable households under…

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
A new Wonga survey shows 41% of South Africans use credit every month for essentials, while 32% have borrowed from informal lenders amid mounting financial pressure.
LOAN MARKET

South Africans turning to loan sharks as cost of living crisis deepens

A new Wonga survey shows 41% of South Africans use credit every month for essentials, while 32% have borrowed from informal lenders amid mounting financial pressure.

  • Ashley Lechman
4 min read
Discover how Pick n Pay is transforming grocery shopping in South Africa with its innovative Pick n Pay Inspire feature, integrating social commerce and AI to enhance the shopping experience.
PICK N PAY

How Pick n Pay is integrating AI and social commerce into grocery shopping

Discover how Pick n Pay is transforming grocery shopping in South Africa with its innovative Pick n Pay Inspire feature, integrating social commerce and AI to enhance the…

  • Ashley Lechman
3 min read
Mpact, South Africa’s largest collector of recyclable packaging materials, has shifted its focus from capital expansion to realising the full potential of its modernised asset base.
PAPER AND PACKAGING PRODUCT

Mpact management focuses on optimising returns from its asset base

Mpact management is navigating a challenging economic landscape, focusing on optimising returns from its asset base and strategic investments.

  • Edward West
3 min read
With household finances under pressure, South African consumers are increasingly using AI to research products, compare prices and assess whether brands are delivering genuine value.
AI

South African shoppers using AI to get more value

Amid rising living costs, South African consumers are turning to AI to make smarter shopping decisions, but are brands keeping up with their expectations?

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
Benay SagerExecutive Head: DebtBusters said that the longer-term lending picture suggests that credit risk is increasingly concentrated among fewer consumers
DEBT

Top earners have begun to face unprecedented debt pressure, an index shows

DebtBusters' Q2 2026 Debt Index reveals alarming trends in debt repayment among top earners.

  • Yogashen Pillay
3 min read