Useful Is the New Visible: 2026 Township Customer Experience Report

The township economy in South Africa runs on trade-offs. Electricity outages decide what's safe to buy, and month-end decides what's possible. Increasingly, township consumers are deciding which brands actually understand that reality and which ones just show up.

These are some of the key findings explored in the 2026 Township Customer Experience Report, produced by Rogerwilco in collaboration with Field & Insights Africa. The report examines how electricity outages, rising consumer inflation and financial pressure are reshaping how township households shop, save and choose the brands they trust.

Life at Home Sets the Shopping List 

Before price ever enters the picture, household conditions do. The research found that 79% of respondents experience electricity outages at least once a month, and 43% say service-delivery issues affect their stress and decision-making "a lot”. That instability is already changing what lands in the basket, from fewer perishables to more trips planned around when the power is on.

The Numbers Behind the Story 

The report uncovers several shifts shaping consumer behaviour across the township economy. 

Here's a snapshot of what the research reveals:

• 60% of respondents are buying more chicken, while 51% are buying less red meat, showing how households are adapting their grocery baskets to stretch their budgets.
• 34% currently belong to a stokvel or group savings scheme, with 61% of current members saving for large annual expenses.
• 91% believe companies should play at least some role when government services fail, but 46% say brands do not make much difference to their daily lives.
• 66% of respondents say they are online throughout the day, yet 37% say data costs stop them from engaging with brands online either sometimes or very often.
• 46% have ordered groceries or other products through apps for home delivery, while 41% have ordered from a local business using their phone.

Together, these findings point to a consumer who is practical, selective and increasingly deliberate about where their money, time and data go.

Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed 

Township consumers aren't short on brand exposure. Spaza shops, supermarkets and social media all compete for attention daily. What's harder to come by is brands that translate that presence into something useful, such as consistent stock, smaller pack sizes or cheaper data. The report shows that goodwill alone no longer buys loyalty. For township marketing to land, it has to solve a real problem, not just be seen.

Meet the Speakers 

This webinar features leading experts in digital marketing, consumer insights and strategy who will unpack the findings of Rogerwilco’s 2026 South African Township CX Report.

• Mongezi Mtati: Senior brand strategist, Rogerwilco
• Palesa Lengolo: Author, financial specialist and stokvel expert 
• Brian Makwaiba: Co-founder and MD, Vuleka
• Shana Abrahams: Research lead, MoyaApp
• Mervyn Abrahams: Programme coordinator, Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group

Register for the Webinar 

The 2026 Township CX Report consists of six chapters covering the household, the basket, the aisle, stokvels and gambling, brand trust, and the digital consumer, giving a complete picture of how township South Africa shops, saves and decides who earns its trust.

Date: 22 September 2026

Time: 10:00 CAT

Platform: LinkedIn

Join us as we unpack the full findings live. 

Webinar registration is open now; spots are limited, so reserve yours today: https://jo.my/tcx-6