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KFC scoops grand prix retail awards

FRIED chicken outlet KFC, chain stores Pick n Pay and Edgars dominated this year's The Timesand SowetanRetail Awards.

FRIED chicken outlet KFC, chain stores Pick n Pay and Edgars dominated this year's The Timesand SowetanRetail Awards.

They all had several nominations in various categories and managed to bring home at least two awards each.

KFC was awarded the 2009 Retail Grand Prix, making it the overall winner and consumers' favourite. Edgars secured second place, followed by Shoprite.

The consumers' favourites were handed their awards at an enchanting event on Thursday night at the Ice Rink in Northgate, Johannesburg.

Enver Groenewald, Avusa media general manager: advertising revenue and strategic communications, said: "The retail sector in particular is feeling the pinch of the current recession, so we felt it was critical to expand the survey and provide more than 30 retail categories across the country with valuable insights into how they are ranked by consumers in this fiercely competitive environment.

"To at present stay ahead of competitors and get a bigger share of consumer spend, retailers have to strongly market what makes their offering more unique and come up with creative ways to add more value to clients.

"To assist retailers to better promote themselves to our readers we have created the weekly Clever Shopper pages in both The Times and Sowetan, which includes a question and answer with a shop outlet."

TheTimes and Sowetan Retail Awards were running for the second time this year but were expanded this time around.

This was due to new category splits and changes, extended coverage of the study and an innovative research study conducted by TNS Research Surveys to ensure more niche outlets were included.

"There were generally smaller differences in ratings among users of the various retailers than we saw in the recent Sunday Times Top Brands study, which used the same methodology," said Neil Higgs, director for innovation and development at TNS Research Surveys.

"Clearly, there is fierce competition between retailers - but there is also an opportunity, in line with the new emphasis on the shopper (as distinct from the consumer or end-user), for retailers to re-look their whole shopper environment and shopper experience in an effort to differentiate themselves from competitors."

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