Johannesburg – South Africans are increasingly shifting their spending towards Walmart stores, as the US retail giant expands into locations previously occupied by Game.
According to BusinessTech, Walmart’s store at East Point Shopping Centre in Boksburg has outperformed the Game outlet it replaced, recording a 28.7% higher trading density during its first four months of operation.
SA Corporate Real Estate, which owns the shopping centre, reported the figures in its interim results.
“Walmart commenced trading at East Point in March 2026 and has already outperformed the Game store it replaced,” the property group said.
The Boksburg outlet, which opened in February, is Walmart’s third South African store after Clearwater Mall and Fourways Mall. All three occupy former Game sites.
The planned conversions
The report said that Massmart had initially proposed a further 21 Walmart stores across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, although the company has not provided a timetable for the expansion.
MyBroadband reported that Game had fallen to 99 South African stores by the end of January 2026, its first time below 100 stores in more than 15 years. Massmart had also confirmed that it was considering closing “around” 20 Game stores, with some potentially converted into Walmart outlets.
The planned conversions could leave Game with about 78 stores if all 21 identified locations were converted or closed, Moneyweb reported in Marh
Despite the shrinking footprint, Massmart has maintained that the Game brand is not being abandoned. The retailer has instead been shifting Game towards food, pantry products and everyday essentials.
Future growth
“We continue to invest in the future growth of Game, including through the rollout of our pantry merchandise proposition, which is enjoying high demand from Game customers,” Massmart said.
Massmart has also attributed the early Walmart rollout to strong customer interest. When the Boksburg store opened, the company said: “The Boksburg opening builds on the strong momentum from successful launches in Clearwater and Fourways, where customers have also enthusiastically embraced Walmart’s Every Day Low Price philosophy.”
The shift marks a significant change for Game, which has been part of South African retail since opening its first store in Durban in 1970. Massmart says the retailer has since evolved its offering in response to changing shopping habits, with greater emphasis on groceries, everyday essentials and value.
For now, the two brands remain part of Massmart’s South African portfolio, but the performance of Walmart’s converted stores is providing an important indicator of where the group sees opportunities for future growth.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
