Shoprite Holdings, Africa’s largest retailer and partly owned by South African billionaire Christo Wiese, has reached a major milestone: the company’s 100th rooftop solar installation is now online. This achievement, more than a decade after its first solar project in 2015, highlights Shoprite’s ongoing commitment to renewable energy and reducing its carbon footprint.
The latest installation was completed at Shoprite Morula in Tshwane, bringing the company’s total installed solar capacity to over 43,300 kilowatt-peak. The retailer estimates that its solar systems now produce enough electricity each year to power nearly 12,300 homes, easing pressure on South Africa’s national grid.
“Reaching our 100th installation shows how far we’ve come in our long-term effort to reduce emissions and ensure our stores can keep running even during power shortages,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, Chief Sustainability Officer at Shoprite Checkers. During the 2025 financial year, renewable energy accounted for 7.2 percent of Shoprite’s electricity usage, up from 6.5 percent the previous year, surpassing the company’s internal targets.
Shoprite has also extended its solar efforts beyond rooftops. The company has fitted 1,397 refrigerated trucks with solar panels, saving an average of 3.2 liters of diesel per trailer every day and cutting an additional 6,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
With more than 3,500 stores and over 160,000 employees across seven African countries, Shoprite continues to expand its footprint. The company plans to open 223 new stores in the 2026 financial year. Alongside its own energy generation, Shoprite is expanding private electricity “wheeling,” a system that allows businesses to buy and sell renewable power across the existing grid. Currently, Shoprite wheels electricity to 11 sites, including its Brackenfell head office, and is negotiating with more partners.
Christo Wiese, who owns a 10.67 percent stake in Shoprite, remains a key shareholder. Forbes estimates his net worth at $2 billion. With this milestone, Shoprite not only strengthens its sustainability efforts but also sets an example for other African
