BLACK FRIDAY REVIEW – How South Africans Shopped in 2025.

Loading player...
Black Friday has evolved and so have South Africa’s spending habits. This week, we dive into Standard Bank’s latest consumer data with Tumelo Ramugondo, Head of Credit, to unpack what changed between Black Friday 2024 and 2025… and what those shifts say about the economy, confidence and priorities.

Standard Bank retail customers showed bigger baskets and bolder swipes with transaction volumes up 6.6% and spending values up 6.8% year-on-year. Credit cards led the charge, climbing 12.2%, reinforcing the return of consumer appetite and access to credit.

From record card swipes including a R864K furniture purchase and R734K international hotel booking to Cyber Monday’s explosive 20% spending surge, the deals weekend extended well beyond a single day. With digital wallets now at 11% of spend value and online transactions almost doubling their share, shoppers are leaning deeper into e-commerce convenience.
1 Dec 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Inside Alexforbes FY26: Strong Cash, Strong Capital, Strong Growth

Alexforbes delivered a resilient FY26 performance, with AuM and administration up 22% to R733 billion, a steady dividend, and 91% of revenue anchored in South Africa. CEO Dawie de Villiers breaks down solvency strength, client behaviour, digital transformation, and where the group sees growth in FY27 across retirement, healthcare and…
12 Jun 6AM 19 min

Pets as Family: Inside SA’s R10.4bn Pet Economy Boom

South Africa’s pet sector is booming — now worth R10.4bn and growing at nearly 16%. Trade Intelligence’s Andrea Slabber and Petshop Science’s Trevor Paxton unpack the emotional drivers behind pet spending, the tension between premiumisation and affordability, the rise of specialist pet retail, and what pet baskets reveal about middle‑class…
12 Jun 6AM 18 min

IP as a Business Asset: Protect, Commercialise and Enforce

Intellectual property is no longer a legal afterthought — it’s a commercial asset. RNMS Inc. founder Rachel Sikwane explains how trademarks, copyright, patents and trade secrets drive competitive advantage; the biggest mistakes businesses make; how to commercialise IP for revenue; and why African market expansion demands proactive IP protection.
11 Jun 2PM 14 min

SPAR’s New Leadership on Stabilizing the Business as HEPS Falls 53.9%

SPAR Group CEO Reeza Isaacs discusses the retailer’s interim results, with revenue up 3.6% but operating profit down sharply due to KZN distribution challenges, Black Friday overspend, and higher debtor costs. He outlines the group's turnaround priorities—from commercial transformation to retailer loyalty, debt reduction, and restoring margins—and what a “materially…
10 Jun 4PM 15 min

South Africans Pivot to PHEVs: What a 430% Surge Means for the Market

Cars.co.za Chief Product & Innovation Officer Alan Quinn unpacks the dramatic 430% year‑on‑year surge in plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) sales in Q1 2026. He explains what’s driving the shift—from fuel price pain to range‑anxiety relief—and what it means for dealers, resale values, and charging infrastructure. A practical guide for consumers choosing…
10 Jun 4PM 16 min