Now in its fourth year, the 2011 The Times Sowetan Retail Awards was a showcase of not only South Africa's retail top brass but also a who's who of TV and radio personalities, musicians and actors. The ceremony took place on Thursday, 13 October 2011 at Shine Studios in Braamfontein, under the theme 'Retailers on Display'.
Shoprite wins the Grand Prix Award
Echoing the theme, the venue was transformed into a virtual retail experience, which included live mannequins, bold splashes of colour, shop front window displays and even custom-made merchandise designed for the event.
MC for the evening was Enver Groenewald, general manager of Advertising Revenue and Strategic Communications at Avusa Media.
The coveted Grand Prix Award for Top Retailer in South Africa was awarded to Shoprite for the second year running, having consistently landed itself within the top three in this category.
Shoprite also scooped the Supermarket and Hypermarket of the Year award after rating very high with regards to overall customer experience.
The full list of categories and results:
Household Appliances
- Game
- Hi-Fi Corporation
- Clicks
Home Accessories and Décor
- Woolworths
- Boardmans
- Edgars and Mr Price Home (tie for third place)
Supermarket and Hypermarket
- Shoprite
- Pick n Pay (Supermarket/Hypermarket/Family Store)
- Spar/KwikSpar/Super Spar
Wholesaler
- Makro
- Trade Centre
- Rhino Cash & Carry
Liquor
- Tops at Spar
- Trade Centre Liquor
- Makro Liquor
Family Sit-Down Restaurant
- Spur
- Wimpy
- News Café
Furniture
- Geen & Richards
- Morkels
- House & Home
Jewellery
- Sterns
- American Swiss
- Galaxy & Co.
Electronic, Computer and Gadget Category
- Game
- Makro
- Hi-Fi Corporation
Tyre and Auto Fitment Centres
- Tiger Wheel and Tyre
- Dunlop Accredited Dealers
- Conti Partner
Entertainment Category
- Musica
- Game
- Makro
Hardware and Building
- Cashbuild
- Builders Warehouse
- Build It
Telecoms
- MTN Store
- Nokia Care
- Vodashop
Health and Beauty
- Clicks/Clicks Plus
- Dischem
- Red Square
Sport Apparel and Equipment
- Totalsports
- Nike Store
- Reebok Store
Shoes
- Spitz
- Green Cross
- Nine West
Children's and Baby's Clothing
- Woolworths
- Edgars
- Ackermans
Men's Clothing
- Edgars
- Woolworths
- Truworths
Women's Clothing
- Woolworths
- Edgars
- Truworths
Gauteng Shopping Mall
- Maponya Mall
- Eastgate Shopping Centre
- Sandton City
Retail Grand Prix Award
- Shoprite
- Pick n Pay
- Woolworths
The annual survey, commissioned by Avusa Media and conducted by TNS Research Surveys, showcases results compiled from around 4000 responses by local respondents and reveals which brands score the highest in the categories:
- Brand familiarity
- User brand experience and/or non-user brand perception
- Brand presence and/or size
"Retailers are not only the backbone of our consumer-driven society but are also the source of countless jobs in our economy," says Natalie Stephan, Head of Trade Marketing and CRM, Avusa Media. "Such as ceremony as the 2011 The Times Sowetan Retail Awards offers Avusa Media with the perfect opportunity to honour the brands that are a part of all our lives in one way or another. It's most importantly an evening of celebration: for winners and nominees alike."
