“Expectations Were High”: Gent Shares Sneak Peek of Products on Shelves at Walmart Before Opening
- A Joburg content creator got exclusive access to the new Walmart at Clearwater Mall before it opened to the public
- The gent was disappointed by the lack of American products, saying it's mostly South African groceries with a few American bits
- South Africans said their expectations were too high, with some saying they'd rather have IKEA or Target come to SA
Source: TikTok
A Johannesburg content creator shared a video on 20 November 2025 showing an exclusive sneak peek of the brand new Walmart opening at Clearwater Mall. The video was captioned:
"Give me any questions you have in the comments!"
In the video, the gent walked through the store, saying:
"This is the brand new Walmart, and as you can see, it is very big. I really like that it's quite spacious. But yeah, I immediately was like, what American products do you have? I need to know." He found that there's a bit of food and drink, plus Walmart-branded products, but not tonnes of American stuff. "I think it's a lot of basics, South African groceries that we're used to," he explained.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
The content creator was disappointed by the beauty section, which only had Essence and Catrice. However, he got excited when he saw Scrub Daddy products all the way from America, with the full range. The tech section had a lot of high-end stuff, including full Apple ranges. He also highlighted the Walmart clothing for kids and adults, saying it's fairly priced and will appeal to South Africans.
The gent mentioned the Drew Barrymore range and said they have a great range of fruits and vegetables. He told viewers that Walmart officially opens on 22 November at 8 am, and showed how much cheaper Walmart is compared to competitors.
Source: TikTok
Mzansi reacts to Walmart sneak peek
Social media users reacted to the exclusive tour shared on TikTok user @kevinmclennanza's video:
@TasmeeraPersad wrote:
"Our expectations were clearly too high, which is why I appreciate the sneak peek. Worth a visit for the Scrub Daddy though."
@vanessalepheana said:
"I thought they would be selling American products."
@ErinCrous shared:
"Scrub Daddy is available through Verimark at Checkers."
@LynseyAnneBurnett added:
"I'd rather IKEA come to South Africa 😭."
@Precious commented:
"We need Target! 😩😩😩"
@Terry asked:
"Go to the canned section. I want to see something."
@melaningoddesse joked:
"We want American snacks and sizes. Where are the 5KG Doritos? Where is the slab of chocolate tall as a toddler?"
Walmart in South Africa
According to the Walmart website, Massmart’s mission is centred on helping customers stretch their money and improve their day-to-day lives. The group runs well-known brands such as Builders Express, Builders Superstore, Builders Warehouse, Cambridge, Cash & Carry, Game, Jumbo, Makro and Rhino across eight African countries. By mid-2025, they had 302 retail stores on the continent, with 271 of them located in South Africa.
Watch the TikTok clip below:
More about Walmart and South Africans
- Briefly News recently reported on a viral TikTok tour of Walmart in the US that gave South Africans a glimpse of what the global retailer might bring to local markets.
- An Afrikaner farmer with an H-2A visa went to Walmart in the US with his wife and found the groceries quite expensive after filling their trolley.
- A man in Roodepoort gave people a glimpse of the Walmart store opening at Clearwater Mall and speculated how it might beat competitors.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
