South Africans Spend R146bn to R153bn on Black Friday
Black Friday weekend spending in 2025 rose 5% to 10% over the roughly R139 billion recorded in 2024.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Spending
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South Africans spent an estimated R146 billion to R153 billion over the Black Friday 2025 weekend, according to estimates reported by IOL. Capitec reported roughly R3 billion in grocery spending across more than 10 million transactions during the same weekend.
Why it matters
The figures point to sustained consumer spending during a key retail period, with township merchants recording sharp increases in turnover. Spending that is concentrated over a single weekend can shape how households budget for the festive season.
Estimated spending of R146 billion to R153 billion represented a 5% to 10% rise on the approximately R139 billion spent in 2024. IOL research suggested the total could surpass R160 billion if shopping continued through November.
The players
Capitec
Capitec is a South African retail bank that reported roughly R3 billion in grocery spending and more than 10 million grocery transactions over the Black Friday weekend.
Discovery Bank
Discovery Bank is a South African bank linked to the Vitality rewards programme, which reported average in-store and online Black Friday purchase values.
Absa
Absa is a South African banking group that reported a single R1 million purchase at a car-rental service during Black Friday.
The details
Average in-store Black Friday purchases were about R455, while average online transactions were about R969, according to Discovery Bank. Merchant turnover in townships including Soweto, Tembisa North and Khayelitsha also rose, with Soweto up as much as 71% compared with a typical November weekend.
Timeline
November 2024: baseline Black Friday spending of approximately R139 billion.
28 November 2025: Black Friday 2025 weekend, when the spending estimates apply.
Black Friday 2026: the next event for comparison against the 2025 figures.
Market Dynamics
The 2025 weekend total of R146 billion to R153 billion extends the approximately R139 billion recorded in November 2024 by 5% to 10%. That growth suggests South African consumers kept spending through a high-pressure retail period despite persistent cost-of-living concerns.
Shoppers planning for the festive season can use the 2025 average transaction values of about R455 in-store and R969 online as a benchmark for budgeting. Households that spread purchases beyond a single weekend may find it easier to manage monthly cash flow.
The takeaway
The Black Friday figures show that South African households can spend heavily during a single retail weekend. Setting a budget before the sales period begins can help keep festive spending in line with monthly income.
Further reading
For broader context on household outlays, see Spending coverage in South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ghanamma.
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