PAYLESS... PAY LATER
Supermarket launches grocery coupon scheme
PAYLESS Supermarket has launched a grocery coupon scheme which will allow customers to buy food commodities on credit and pay 30 days later at no interest. The first beneficiaries of the scheme is Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) where almost 34,000 teachers are expected to enjoy the benefits.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Wednesday in Gaborone, Payless Retail Group Chief Executive Officer, Elliot Moshoke, said when coming up with the idea, they were considering the current high prices of food items.
“We interacted with government and unions when this idea came to birth but most importantly we looked into the impact of high food prices, more especially on government workers. They have been impacted negatively so we came up with a programme to ease that,” he said.
According to Moshoke, the aim of the scheme is to not only make profits but to create social impact. Officiating at the event, Minister of Finance, Peggy Serame, said the new scheme is a huge milestone for Payless more so that the retailer has played a key role in Botswana retail space for the longest time.
BRAND
“Payless have a bright future, more so that they managed to engineer the revival of this Botswana brand. We have to be self-sufficient such that profits made here can be reinvested back locally, so I urge you to source all your products from local producers. The scheme will benefit teachers greatly because this partnership is anchored with BTU so I urge other companies to be innovative and put their customers at the forefront. This partnership should bear results and be sustainable such that it does benefit the parties involved,” said Serame.
For his part, Business Botswana Head of Business Development, Monty Robert, said they will continue to create a conducive environment for businesses in order for them to prosper. “Payless has so much growth potential, already they are contributing with regard to creation of employment,” he said.
Payless currently has nine retail supermarkets across the country with the aim to improve the footprint in the market in the next years. Payless is owned by Acute Global Limited, which has interest and representation in Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Insurance, real estate and petroleum sectors.