New Insights Reveal How Economic Pressure Is Reshaping Consumer Choices Across South Africa

Tshepo Moila is an Insights and Market Research Partner at technology and management consultancy, iqbusiness. Image supplied

The immediate takeaway is not just that consumers are cash-strapped, but that they are becoming far more deliberate - balancing the need for value against long-standing brand loyalties and the desire for a trusted shopping experience.

While the rise of global platforms like Temu and Shein continues to disrupt pricing expectations, South Africa’s unique dynamics - including high transport costs, strong brand affinity, and widening generational differences - are reshaping how value is defined locally.

The great generational divide

The survey reveals a relatively even split in shopping preferences: 35% favour the in-store experience, 34% prefer trusted local online retailers such as Takealot or Bash, and 31% are willing to wait longer for cheaper options from international platforms.

However, behaviour diverges more clearly when looking at specific segments.

Consumers aged 46 and older remain strongly anchored in brick-and-mortar retail, valuing the ability to see and touch products before making a purchase.

There is also a directional skew among Indian and White consumers towards in-store shopping, although these results should be interpreted with some caution given smaller sample sizes in these groups.

At the same time, digital behaviour is not driven by a single segment, but varies by context. Black consumers show a stronger preference for trusted local e-commerce platforms, while Coloured consumers are more likely to favour lower-cost international options.

This suggests that digital growth in South Africa is not uniform, but shaped by different value drivers - trust, accessibility and price - across segments.

Price still king - but now the starting point

If there is one consistent theme across the data, it is the central role of price. More importantly, price is no longer just one of many considerations - it is increasingly the starting point.

This is particularly evident in attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence (AI). While global narratives focus on creativity and automation, 52% of South Africans simply want AI to help them find the lowest price across retailers. Among consumers aged 46 - 55, this rises to 63%.

For younger consumers (18-35), the picture is slightly more nuanced. While price remains critical, there is also a stronger openness to personalised discounts - suggesting a desire for value that feels tailored.

As consumers age beyond 36, this preference shifts more decisively towards absolute price optimisation.

The data further reveals that consumers want AI to assist decisions, not make them:

• 52% want AI to find cheapest price across retailers
• 40% want personalised discounts
• Only 8% want automatic re-ordering

Across segments, the message is consistent: brand still matters - but increasingly only once price has been justified.

Loyalty in a smaller box

Shrinkflation reveals one of the more nuanced dynamics in the data.

Rather than abandoning brands entirely, 45% of consumers continue to buy their preferred brands, but less frequently, treating them more as occasional purchases than everyday staples.

Brand loyalty in South Africa remains resilient, but it is no longer unconditional.

Lower-income consumers are more likely to switch to cheaper alternatives, while higher-income segments tend to adjust consumption rather than abandon brands altogether.

The result is a subtle but important shift: loyalty is not disappearing - it is being rebalanced.

Friction is the real threat to online growth

While digital adoption continues to rise, key barriers remain. And they are not technological.

Consumers highlight long refund wait times (36%) and the cost of return couriers (31%) as major frustrations. In a constrained economic environment, delays in accessing refunds directly impact purchasing behaviour.

This is where e-commerce is breaking down:

• 36% frustrated by long refund wait times
• 31% dislike paying for return couriers
• 47% compare prices before purchasing

In a cash-constrained market, friction is not a mere inconvenience, but a deal breaker.

This suggests that the next phase of e-commerce competition will not be driven solely by front-end experience, but by how effectively businesses reduce friction across the entire journey.

Innovations such as instant refunds, store credit wallets, or cost-free returns could become important differentiators in building trust and encouraging repeat usage.

Convenience as a cost strategy

The growth of quick commerce platforms such as Sixty60, ASAP! and Dash reflects more than a shift towards convenience.

While 29% of consumers use these services to save time, a combined 40% use them to reduce transport costs or avoid impulse spending in-store.

For many South Africans, staying out of physical stores is becoming a deliberate way to manage spending - positioning convenience as a financial strategy rather than a luxury.

Keep the soul

The South African retail landscape in 2026 is being defined less by a single trend and more by a set of balancing forces:

• Trust remains local, while price competition is increasingly global
• Younger consumers seek personalised, digital experiences, while older consumers prioritise certainty and familiarity
• Brand loyalty persists, but is being reshaped by ongoing economic pressure
  • Successful retailers will need to move beyond viewing online and in-store as separate channels. Today’s consumer navigates both fluidly, making decisions based on value, trust and context.

    As consumers become more price-aware and digitally enabled, the opportunity lies not just in offering the lowest price, but in clearly justifying it and combining technology-driven efficiency with human-centred understanding.