Not long ago, grocery shopping was a shared family outing. Parents loaded kids into the car, pushed trolleys down supermarket aisles, and negotiated about snacks or cereal choices at the tills.
But for millions of South African children today, that experience is fast becoming a relic of the past.
Instead, their idea of shopping involves tapping a screen, tracking a delivery driver, and greeting a Checkers Sixty60 courier at the front door with excitement – often more than they’d show for a family trip to the shops.
@jadestar_fit @Checkers_Sixty60 you have given Santa Clause big competition with your "Checkers man".🥰 #checkerssixty60 #checkers_sa #tiktoksouthafrica #fypシ #fyp ♬ original sound - kArLA AcOsTa
The shift to online grocery shopping isn’t just a convenience; it’s becoming a cultural change – one that will define how the next generation of South Africans engages with consumer habits.
Across the world, young adults are entering adulthood with shopping habits shaped by technology.
In countries where online grocery delivery has been the norm for over a decade, an entire generation has grown up viewing shopping as something that happens with a few clicks – not something that requires leaving the house.
This shift in behaviour is influencing how they spend, what they prioritise, and how they plan their time. And South Africa, which only embraced widespread online grocery delivery in recent years, is starting to see similar trends emerging among its younger generation.
A post-Covid shift in South African homes
Before the pandemic, South Africans were relatively slow to adopt online grocery shopping. That changed in 2020 when lockdowns forced a reevaluation of daily habits – and when Checkers launched their Sixty60 app.
For the first time, South Africans could order fresh produce and have them delivered in under an hour.
What started as a convenience quickly became the new normal for thousands of households. Today, for many families, online grocery delivery is not just a fallback but the preferred way to shop – especially for busy parents juggling work, school runs and everything in between.
And as parents adapted, so too did their children. Many younger children now associate grocery shopping with the familiar knock on the door and the arrival of a friendly driver in a branded helmet and green cooler bag.
The Sixty60 effect on children
Ask any child in a Sixty60-using household, and they’ll likely speak about the app's delivery people with affection.
For many kids, they are modern-day superheroes – always showing up with what the family needs, whether it’s apples and yoghurt for school lunches or a last-minute birthday gift.
The promotional toys and branded gear that come with some Sixty60 orders have cemented this perception.
Children see them not only as couriers but as helpers who bring snacks, supplies, and sometimes surprises.
This brand association is powerful. When children grow up with this level of convenience, it shapes how they perceive value, effort, and even responsibility.
For them, food and supplies don’t come from browsing shelves – they arrive at the doorstep. This changes the way they interact with consumption and, ultimately, how they’ll shop as they become young adults.
How global habits reflect the shift
In the UK, US, and parts of Asia, online grocery shopping has been embedded in daily life for much longer.
Many current university students and young professionals have never regularly shopped in-store. Their default is digital: they meal plan with apps, schedule recurring deliveries, and make use of loyalty schemes offered through digital platforms.
This convenience doesn’t just affect how they buy but also how they think about time and money. Time-saving often takes precedence over hunting for the best price. Many are willing to pay slightly more to avoid queues, parking, or weekend crowds.
As they become parents themselves, it’s likely they’ll continue relying on digital delivery, further entrenching the model into everyday life.
In some ways, this has made young adults more selective and brand-loyal. If their chosen app or delivery service is consistent, responsive, and easy to use, they’re likely to stick with it, even as prices fluctuate.
They’re also more aware of online deals and flash promotions, often making impulse purchases not in-store, but through a push notification or limited-time app offer.
What it means for the next generation of South African shoppers
South African children are following a similar trajectory – but in a more condensed timeframe.
In just a few years, grocery shopping has moved from being an errand to being a near-invisible task that happens in the background of family life. For a five-year-old today, groceries have always arrived by delivery. That’s their normal.
Parents may wonder what this means for their children’s understanding of budgeting, choice, or even the value of money. When there’s no physical basket to fill, and no cashier interaction, do children still grasp how much R100 can buy?
As children grow up with shopping apps and delivery drivers rather than checkout queues and trolley rides, their relationship with food, spending, and shopping in general will continue to evolve.
For parents, this offers both opportunities and challenges. The key will be guiding children to understand not just how to get what they need quickly, but how to make informed choices about what they buy, where it comes from, and what it costs – even if it all arrives in under 60 minutes.
IOL Lifestyle