Woolworths has been acknowledged as the Top-Recommended Retail Business in South Africa, According to a Research
In a significant development, South African retail giant Woolworths has been named the most recommended retailer in the country for 2025. This prestigious title comes from insights agency KLA, which conducted extensive research and analysis on consumer behaviour and brand reputation.
The ranking does not specify a particular category, suggesting it applies to all Woolworths brands collectively. This includes Woolworths Food, Woolworths Clothing, and Woolworths Home, among others. The findings are based on over 560 interviews conducted daily, revealing customer attitudes and perceptions towards the brands they shop regularly.
According to the report, Woolworths' strong growth in the food and fashion segments, significant online sales expansion, and a solid balance sheet have contributed to this recommendation. The company's food business saw an above-market turnover growth of 11%, with food sales growing by 9.2% excluding acquisitions. The online sales channel, including Woolies Dash, saw a dramatic growth of 41.6%, and total online food sales increased by 32.9%, now contributing 6.6% to total food sales.
In the fashion, beauty, and home segments, Woolworths showed a steady turnover increase of about 4.7%. The beauty business even gained a 14.7% market share, and online sales in the segment rose by 22.8%. Despite challenges from restructuring and subdued consumer sentiment, Woolworths maintains a flawless balance sheet with moderate growth potential.
Spencer Sonn, Chief Customer Officer at Woolworths, expressed his gratitude for the customer recommendations and personal endorsements. He stated, "Our team strives to deliver exceptional quality products and service that surpass customer expectations. These recommendations reflect decades of dedication by Woolworths to creating experiences, products, and service worth sharing."
Woolworths Clothing has been ranked fourth among the most recommended brands in South Africa for 2025, with Woolworths Food coming in third. Samsung has been ranked as the second most recommended brand, with a recommendation rate of 88.9%. Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has taken the top spot with a recommendation rate of 90.1%.
In addition to this recognition, Woolworths was also named one of the Most Admired South African Brands by Brand Africa in 2025. Furthermore, the company was recognised among the World's Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek in 2024.
This ranking is a reflection of the strength of Woolworths' company reputation among shoppers in South Africa. The questions asked respondents, "Which brands would you recommend to a friend or colleague?" The data for these rankings was drawn over a twelve-month period by KLA, YouGov, and BrandIndex from current customers. Over 85% of Woolies shoppers confirmed they would recommend Woolworths Food, Woolworths Clothing, or Woolworths Home.
Woolworths' ability to grow sales both in-store and online, especially in food and beauty, alongside maintaining financial stability and adapting through restructuring, underpins its status as the most recommended retailer in South Africa in 2025.
- The prestigious title awarded to Woolworths as the most recommended retailer in South Africa for 2025 spans across all its brands, such as Woolworths Food, Woolworths Clothing, and Woolworths Home.
- Woolworths Clothing was ranked fourth among the most recommended brands in South Africa for 2025, demonstrating the strong reputation of its apparel, beauty, and home segments.
- In the realm of finance and business, Woolworths' robust growth in food and fashion, significant online sales expansion, and maintaining a solid balance sheet earned it the top spot as the most recommended retailer in South Africa, according to KLA's research and consumer surveys.
