Supermarket giant Pick n Pay has launched its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service, PnP Mobile, using MTN’s mobile network infrastructure.
Pick n Pay customers can register their new Sim card within minutes through Pick n Pay’s new paperless RICA facility, expected to launch in 500 selected stores this year.
“Mobile technology is core to South Africans’ way of life and an essential part of the monthly grocery shop. Our country has a very high mobile phone penetration, but data costs have been a barrier. We believe expanding our services to enter the mobile market will benefit millions of our customers,” says Pick n Pay chief technology and services officer Richard van Rensburg.
The new mobile offering will incorporate a tiered rewards system for Pick n Pay’s loyalty programme, Smart Shopper, in terms of which customers can earn 250 MB to 2.5 GB in free data rewards each month, in addition to their Smart Shopper points, when shopping at any Pick n Pay store, including Express, Clothing, and Liquor stores.
Customers will be required to link their Smart Shopper card and top up their PnP Mobile Sim card with at least R50 over a 30-day period and will earn 5 MB in data for every R10 spent in store, depending on the customers’ PnP Mobile spend and their tier.
“Innovation has been absolutely central to creating South Africa’s favourite loyalty programme and this new Smart Shopper innovation means that customers walk out of our stores with affordable groceries, points on their card and now free data on their PnP Mobile Sim card,” says Van Rensburg.