Grocery stores, restaurants, and fuel stations were the big winners for Easter 2025.
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GUEST – Norman Nyawo, Head of Merchant Solutions for Business and Commercial banking at Standard Bank SA.
The Easter period has traditionally been a key time for business activity in South Africa and 2025 was no exception. New data from Standard Bank’s merchant acquiring platform shows encouraging signs of growth, with total transaction values up 11% and transaction volumes rising 10% compared to Easter 2023. These trends reflect sustained momentum in the country’s trading environment, even as consumer behaviours continue to evolve.
This Easter, Gauteng once again led in overall turnover, followed closely by the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, reinforcing the role of South Africa’s major economic hubs. Grocery stores, restaurants, and fuel stations were the big winners, with consumer spending peaking in the lead-up to Good Friday and remaining strong through the weekend. Yet, an interesting shift emerged, month-end trading volumes in March outpaced Easter activity, signalling that salary cycles and convenience-driven purchasing may now be more influential than traditional holiday peaks.
The Easter period has traditionally been a key time for business activity in South Africa and 2025 was no exception. New data from Standard Bank’s merchant acquiring platform shows encouraging signs of growth, with total transaction values up 11% and transaction volumes rising 10% compared to Easter 2023. These trends reflect sustained momentum in the country’s trading environment, even as consumer behaviours continue to evolve.
This Easter, Gauteng once again led in overall turnover, followed closely by the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, reinforcing the role of South Africa’s major economic hubs. Grocery stores, restaurants, and fuel stations were the big winners, with consumer spending peaking in the lead-up to Good Friday and remaining strong through the weekend. Yet, an interesting shift emerged, month-end trading volumes in March outpaced Easter activity, signalling that salary cycles and convenience-driven purchasing may now be more influential than traditional holiday peaks.