Health and beauty retailer Clicks Group is pushing ahead with an aggressive expansion strategy, announcing plans to open up to 50 new stores and 50 additional pharmacies in the next financial year as it moves closer to its medium-term target of 1 200 stores nationally.
The move comes as the broader retail sector continues to face pressure from weak consumer demand, elevated interest rates and rising operating costs. However, Clicks remains resilient, supported by the defensive nature of health and beauty spending and strong customer loyalty.
For the year ended August 2025, the group reported a 14.1% increase in diluted headline earnings per share and an industry-leading return on equity of 49.2%. Group turnover rose 5.3% to R47.8 billion, with retail sales up 6% and distribution revenue growing 5.1%.
CEO Bertina Engelbrecht said the results underscored the robustness of the company’s strategy focused on value, convenience, innovation and private-label growth.
Private-label and exclusive brands delivered strong sales growth of 10.7% and now contribute R9.7 billion to turnover, accounting for one in three front-shop products sold. Customer loyalty also remains a key differentiator, with 12.6 million active ClubCard members generating over 82% of sales. The programme paid out R855 million in cashback rewards over the past year.
Clicks has expanded its footprint to more than 990 stores and 780 pharmacies, with over half of South Africa’s population now living within 5 km of a Clicks pharmacy — strengthening its competitive advantage in the healthcare market.
The group plans capital investment of R1.3 billion in the year ahead, focused largely on store and pharmacy expansion and refurbishments. Its pharmaceutical wholesaler, UPD, is also scaling its new fleet of zero-emission, pharma-compliant delivery vehicles, reinforcing its sustainability agenda.
Engelbrecht said Clicks’ strong balance sheet and market positioning provide a solid foundation for continued growth, even as operating conditions remain constrained.
“We are confident in our ability to deliver sustainable returns while expanding access to affordable healthcare for South Africans,” she said.
