He said in a statement that South African consumers faced substantial hardship over the recent years because of an ailing economy, which undermined their ability to afford basic food.
According to Van Heerden, the situation was creating a negative chain reaction throughout the agricultural supply chain that had, in part, led to alarming levels of food insecurity.
“Our food remains among the most affordable in the world. However, low economic growth, high unemployment, the rising cost of electricity, fuel expenses, and inflation are placing enormous financial strain on consumers.
“This makes it increasingly challenging for people to afford the nutritious food their families need, which in turn impacts the ability of food producers across the supply chain to get their products to market,” he added.
The Shoprite Group meanwhile commissioned the South African Food Security Index 2024 report in conjunction with the Stellenbosch University. It is stated in the report that South Africa scored 64,9 on the index in 2019, dropping to 45,3 in 2023.
On average, more South Africans experienced food insecurity in 2023 compared with any other year between 2012 and 2023.
“After 30 years of democracy, it is unfathomable that hunger remains one of the top socio-economic issues facing South Africa,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, CEO of the Shoprite Group.
The South African Red Meat Producers’ Organisation in August 2024 called for an official review of the costs and benefits of including more meat products in the zero VAT-rated list.
It was recommended in the Shoprite report that National Treasury needed to strongly consider zero-rating VAT on certain key food products, especially protein-rich items.
