Just over a year since Checkers partnered with Discovery Vitality, South African shopping baskets look noticeably different. More than 60 million healthier products have been purchased in stores and through Sixty60, pointing to a meaningful shift in day-to-day habits.
For many families, healthier choices are no longer an occasional add-on—they are becoming a routine part of grocery shopping. The convenience of finding over 2,500 approved HealthyFood items on shelves has made the transition easier, especially when paired with rewards that feel immediate and worthwhile.
Fresh Produce on the Rise
One of the clearest indicators of this behavioural shift is the 18% jump in fruit and vegetable sales at Checkers. This isn’t small change—it’s a sign that households are consciously choosing whole foods more often.
Checkers’ push into the more health-conscious, premium grocery segment through its FreshX supermarkets has amplified this trend. These stores place heavy emphasis on fresh, ethically produced, and environmentally responsible products, making it simpler for shoppers to fill their baskets with quality options.
A Smart Reward System That Works
The Discovery Vitality HealthyFood benefit has become a powerful driver of change. In the past year alone, members earned more than 1.6 billion Discovery Miles—roughly R160 million in value—simply for choosing healthier items.
These rewards land monthly, creating a feedback loop that encourages consistent behaviour instead of once-off bursts of motivation. The structure is deliberately simple: buy healthier foods, earn Miles, and spend them like cash. No complicated targets, no waiting periods. This instant reinforcement has become especially popular among busy families who want healthy habits to feel natural, not forced.
As Meredith Allan from the Shoprite Group notes, it’s another extension of Xtra Savings helping shoppers “make better choices every day – and rewarding them for it.”
Wellness That Fits Real Life
Beyond fresh produce, South Africans are also leaning into healthier packaged choices. Checkers’ Simple Truth range—which focuses on clean ingredients, affordability and sustainability—recorded a remarkable 24.6% growth this year.
This signals a broader lifestyle evolution: wellness is becoming more practical, more accessible and more value-driven. Consumers aren’t just looking for “health foods”—they’re looking for foods that support the way they actually live.
Celeste Williams from Discovery Vitality puts it succinctly: the goal is to “create environments that nudge people toward better choices – not once-off, but consistently.” The partnership’s scale and convenience are proving to be exactly that kind of environment.
How to Join the Movement
Vitality members can activate the benefit easily by selecting Checkers as their primary HealthyFood partner in the Discovery app. From there, new shoppers can sign up for Xtra Savings, and existing members can link their profiles automatically.
