South Africa's big retail chains race to restock looted stores (updated)

China Cultural Tourism and Agriculture

16/07/2021 14:47

(Adds Pepkor, TFG, Shoprite, SPAR and Woolworths statements)
    By Nqobile Dludla
    JOHANNESBURG, July 16 (Reuters) - South Africa's big
retailers are working round the clock to replenish shelves with
food in hundreds of stores looted this week in some of the
country's worst unrest for years, they said on Friday.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2OS0HU
    Retailers also said they are racing to keep stores
unaffected by the violence stocked as some shoppers were
stripping shelves with panic buying, though blocked roads and
disruptions to supply chains were hampering their efforts.
    Retailers were just starting to recover from months of
coronavirus restrictions when the violence triggered by the
jailing of former president Jacob Zuma erupted and the looting
could now set them back several months.
    Massmart  MSMJ.J , which is majority owned by U.S. retail
giant Walmart Inc  WMT.N , said protesters had looted 41 of its
stores and two of its distribution centres, with four sites
suffering significant damage from arson.
    TFG  TFGJ.J , the owner of Foschini clothing and @home
chains, said 190 stores had been looted and damaged to varying
degrees. All its stores in KwaZulu-Natal province are shut.
    "The timeline to reopen will be quick in some locations
whilst in others it will be dependent on the nature and extent
of the damage and on the availability of the relevant resources
and supply chains," TFG said.
    Pepkor  PPHJ.J , which is majority owned by Steinhoff
International  SNHJ.J , said 489 stores, representing about 9%
of its retail outlets, had been damaged and looted as well as
one of the JD Group's distribution centres in KwaZulu-Natal.  
    Pepkor's supply chain and distribution operations in the
affected areas have been severely disrupted, it said.
    All three retailers, as well as grocery chains Pick n Pay
 PIKJ.J , Shoprite  SHPJ.J  and SPAR Group  SPPJ.J , whose 184
stores were looted and vandalised, said the priority was to
replenish shelves as concerns about food shortages mount.
    SPAR trucks were dispatched on Friday with security escorts
and the chain said it would try to restock all its KwaZulu-Natal
stores open for business over the weekend.
    Woolworths  WHLJ.J  said it was working closely with
suppliers to make sure its stores were stocked.
    "This is largely dependent on the reopening of key transport
routes, the ability of local suppliers to continue production,
the ability of our staff to access our stores and the safety of
our logistics and distribution operations," it said.

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
South Africa's president says he won't allow 'anarchy and
mayhem'     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2OS0HU
South Africa riots will push economy into 3% contraction in Q3
-JPMorgan     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2OS3JM
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Additional reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Jason Neely
and David Clarke)
 ((Emma.Rumney@thomsonreuters.com; +27115952832;))