Loss-making PnP scores a try with Springbok jersey ahead of Barbarians match

South Africa’s second-largest retailer, Pick n Pay, which is in the midst of a turnaround strategy, has secured a sponsored spot on the new Springbok rugby jersey just as the winter season kicks off today, as it strategically seeks to claim back market share.

The retailer, which last reported that it had narrowed its bottom-line loss, said that its “iconic logo in gold appears on the back of the Springbok jersey” for the first time. In releasing its results for the 53 weeks to March 2, it said that its headline loss – a key metric for analysts – improved from minus 172.3c to negative 61.54c.

Pick n Pay announced its new sponsorship of the world champions in May, stating that “the new four-year Tier 1 Springbok rugby sponsorship has further amplified brand visibility and national pride, and we celebrate the extraordinary role that our Springboks and sport play in unifying our country”.

Pick n Pay is the official grocery retail partner of the Springboks through to 2027. The jersey is already on sale and other Springbok merchandise is available at PnP Clothing. In the 53 weeks to May, the retailer said it opened net 30 company-owned clothing stores during the period to bring the total estate to 415 stores.

The launch coincides with the start of the 2025 season, with South Africa playing the Barbarians on Saturday in Cape Town, which will be followed with a match between the Springboks and Italy on July 5 at 17.10 South African time. Then there is a series of matches between the Rugby World Cup title holder team and Europe’s Georgia, Wales, England, and Scotland.

Speaking on the reveal of the new jersey, Sean Summers, CEO of Pick n Pay, said “as an official sponsor of SA Rugby, we have invested in the Springboks to support and grow South African rugby. That’s why it’s a proud moment to see the Springbok jersey unveiled with our name on it. But this is about more than a logo, it’s about the shared spirit of resilience, unity, and pride that rugby inspires across South Africa.”

Summers, brought out of retirement to fix the entity, said that “South Africans don’t just watch rugby, we feel it. We live it. Rugby is where we come together, whether we’re in stadiums, township homes, or around the braai. Seeing our name on this jersey is not just a sponsorship, it’s a statement of unity. We believe in the power of sport to bring people together, and we’re proud to back our Springboks and be a part of the everyday moments that unite South Africans through rugby.”

Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said that this was the “start of an exciting journey for two iconic South African carriers of national pride – the Springboks and Pick n Pay”.

Summers wished the Springboks “strength and success for the season ahead”.