“Friday the 13th Just Got Better”: SA Hyped Over R13 Deals at Food Lovers’ Market

• A Durban content creator showed some of the wildly affordable R13 specials dropping at Food Lovers' Market for one day only
• The deals covered everything from fresh produce and baked goods to meat and sausages
• South Africans rushed to the comments, with some hyped about the savings and others sharing their honest thoughts about the quality and availability
• Briefly News spoke to medical expert Jayshri Rangasamy on whether it is safe to eat food that is close to its expiry date and what it could mean for a person’s health

Food Lovers' Market dropped a one-day special that has South Africa talking, and Durban content creator Josh Jacobs made sure nobody missed it. He shared the video on 12 March 2026 with the caption:

"Friday the 13th just got better! Food Lover's Market R13 specials are INSANE! With a wide variety of items to choose from, head to their website now to have a better look! Deals vary per region."

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In the clip, Josh walked viewers through some of his favourite picks from the R13 specials. The list included Spanish sunset cocktail tomatoes, fondant doughnuts, hamburger or hot dog buns, 250g chicken livers, Vienna sausages, cocktail sausage rolls, kiwi fruit, and crowned pumpkin.

Beyond what Josh shared, the Food Lovers' Market website also listed avocados, mangoes, pineapples, pears, bananas, apples, butternut, cabbage, baguettes, beef steak, chicken drumsticks, and more. All of these were going for R13. Many people shared their thoughts on the food specials. Some advised that shoppers should always check the weight and measurements of each product before grabbing it off the shelf, as not every deal works out to great value once you do the maths.

Speaking to Briefly News writer Nerissa Naidoo, medical expert Jayshri Rangasamy discussed whether it is safe to eat food that is close to its expiry date and what it could mean for a person’s health:

“Food that is close to its expiry date is not always unsafe to eat, but people should be careful and check the condition of the product. If the food smells strange, looks different, has mould, or the packaging is damaged, it should be avoided. Some foods may still be safe close to expiry if stored properly, but eating spoiled food can lead to stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, or food poisoning, especially in children, older adults, and people with weaker immune systems.”

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Briefly News also asked financial expert Farook Mohammed whether buying bargain foods close to expiry is a good financial idea. He said:

“Buying discounted food close to expiry can be a smart way to save money if done carefully. The key is to only buy items you plan to use immediately or freeze if possible, so they do not go to waste.”

Watch the TikTok clip below:

R13 Food Lovers' deals get SA talking

South Africans filled the comments section with a mix of excitement and very honest opinions about the R13 Food Lovers' Market specials TikToker @josh.jacobs shared:

@fabian426 wrote:

"Where's the nuts and biltong and berries and strawberries and grapes? That's what we want."

@Chad Darian Jaftha said:

"Their specials are only there in the morning. After work, all you hear is out of stock, out of stock 🙄"

@Milah laughed:

"It's the presenter for me, talking like my kids 😅😅😅"

@Mr. Facts warned:

"You need to calculate the R/kg and not be fooled."

@VILOSHNE.NOEL pointed out:

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"Not in Cornubia."

@Meryse shared:

"It's my birthday, can't even go there, got no money, can't even buy a cake."

@Seexy A laughed:

"Their fruit and vegetables don't last 😂😂😂"

@Ailos noted:

"But not all Food Lovers. Jabulani Mall never had the special."

@Sassy Taylor Morrison and Kim simply wrote:

"🥰🥰🥰 One thing."

@MS PERFUMES asked:

"When will the next R100 deal be?"

More SA deals worth knowing about

• Briefly News recently reported on a Durban content creator who spotted R100 deals at Food Lovers' Market, but some shoppers questioned whether the prices were actually worth it compared to other stores.
• A woman shared a markdown special on a premium Revlon hair tool combo at Clicks that had South Africans rushing to their nearest branch before stocks ran out.
• Shoprite's Usave brand made headlines after launching R1 biscuits, with the retailer revealing plans that could change affordable shopping across South Africa.

Source: Briefly News