<\/p>\n
Food prices are the biggest financial pressure facing middle-class online shoppers, according to a survey by shopping site OneDayOnly, with more than 40% of respondents earning R25 000 or more a month.<\/p>\n
While the survey, titled The Big Squeeze, was weighted towards OneDayOnly shoppers, who use the site to find daily deals, it adds to growing evidence of the financial pressure facing consumers.<\/p>\n
Read: The big squeeze: Why salary increases in South Africa aren\u2019t keeping\u00a0up with life\u2019s rising costs<\/p>\n
Jessy van Eden, OneDayOnly\u2019s brand and strategic partnerships manager, said the survey showed that food, fuel and electricity were putting the greatest strain on household budgets.<\/p>\n
Asked to identify their single biggest financial pressure, 69% of respondents cited food. Fuel came second, as petrol prices have risen by about R10 a litre since February, with 95-octane unleaded petrol costing R30.25 a litre in inland regions.<\/p>\n
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Eight in 10 respondents said they waited for a sale or promotion before buying goods online, while only 7% believed that every Black Friday discount was genuine.<\/p>\n
Other data also points to consumers increasingly seeking out discounts.<\/p>\n
In its recently released annual results for the year ended 31 August 2026, health and beauty retailer Clicks noted that promotional sales now account for 47.1% of turnover.<\/p>\n
Consumers are also taking longer to decide whether to make a purchase, leaving items in their online carts. In response, OneDayOnly has extended about 15% of its 24-hour deals to more than a day.<\/p>\n
OneDayOnly director Laurian Venter said customers were making \u201cmuch more thoughtful decisions every single day\u201d.<\/p>\n
She added that South Africa\u2019s retail sector was struggling, with independent retailers closing their doors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know there are so many independent retailers now shutting down. We\u2019re hearing so many stories of retail really, really struggling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
OneDayOnly director Laurian Venter. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n
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Other survey findings<\/p>\n
The online survey was open for two weeks in August and attracted just over 2 400 respondents, most of whom were women. Johannesburg accounted for the largest share of respondents, followed by Cape Town and Durban.<\/p>\n
The findings also showed that:<\/p>\n
42% of respondents earned between R25 000 and R75 000 a month.
\n40% said they were under greater financial pressure than a year earlier, while 33% said their circumstances were about the same.
\n60% said they followed a household budget.
\nOnly 12% said they spent freely, while 88% reported cutting back.
\nMore than three-quarters compared prices, and 37% switched retailers to find better deals.
\nVitamins and health supplements, including collagen, were popular purchases, alongside home and garden furniture and technology products.<\/p>\n
More than three-quarters compared prices, and 37% switched retailers to find better deals.
\nVitamins and health supplements, including collagen, were popular purchases, alongside home and garden furniture and technology products.<\/p>\n
Growth in buy now, pay later products<\/p>\n
OneDayOnly has seen substantial growth in buy now, pay later (BNPL) products, which allow consumers to access goods immediately and typically spread payments over three months without paying interest. The retailer pays a fee to the BNPL credit provider.<\/p>\n
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Venter said OneDayOnly was seeing \u201ca massive, massive growth in [BNPL] products\u201d, describing this as \u201ca sad indicator, in a way, of everybody\u2019s financial situation\u201d.<\/p>\n
Read:<\/p>\n
Buy now, pay later: Your debt is no longer private
\nHow does SA\u2019s household debt compare globally?<\/p>\n
She said customers were using interest-free payment options to afford higher-value purchases, such as lounge suites and outdoor garden sets.<\/p>\n
The site currently offers two interest-free BNPL options and is preparing to introduce a third.<\/p>\n
From February 2027, BNPL use will be reported to credit bureaus and reflected in consumers\u2019 credit scores.<\/p>\n
The change could help people with little or no credit history establish a track record. It would also give other credit providers greater visibility of consumers\u2019 outstanding debt, helping them assess whether borrowers are over-indebted.<\/p>\n
#Big #Squeeze #survey #shows #middleclass #consumers #worried #food #prices<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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