Checkers’ ‘trolley for trolley’ man Clive Weil dies in Joburg

CLIVE Weil‚ the former Checkers managing director who became an unlikely media celebrity in Checkers’ advertising campaign in the 1980s‚ has died aged 72.

Anthony Chait‚ chief executive of specialist tax and exchange control consultancy Zeridium said: “He became a household name with his customers as they could see on TV the chief executive of their favourite supermarket.

“Trolley for trolley you don’t pay more” was the crafty catch-line from Weil‚ who was happily wheeling a shopping cart along the grocery aisles in the ’80s.

The ad helped rescue Checkers‚ which was teetering on the edge of insolvency.

But Weil’s bulky appearance and slight lisp also made the “twolley-for-twolley” man a subject of derision and brought him unwanted attention.

Chait said his death was a great loss in the corporate sector.

“Retail was his game. He consulted in his personal capacity in the retail space. He was a very low-key‚ a very low-profile personality.”

Chait said Weil died suddenly after complications following surgery to his colon. His funeral took place in Johannesburg on Sunday morning.

Weil‚ born in Port Elizabeth on November 30 1944 and educated at Selborne College, East London‚ and the University of Natal, started work with the Department of Planning in Pretoria in 1969.

He soon left to go into the food industry, and after successfully restructuring both Checkers and Metro Cash and Carry, he became executive chairman of Game in 1989. – TMG Digital