“They Stole Skubu’s Idea”: Mzansi Reacts to Shoprite Piloting FillRite Refill Concept
- Shoprite launched a pilot refill station concept called FillRite, letting customers buy staples like rice, oil and flour in flexible quantities
- Marketing specialist Hamzeh Majiet shared a breakdown of the concept on Instagram, where it quickly sparked a heated debate
- South Africans flooded the comments accusing Shoprite of copying local refill brand Skubu, with some calling for legal action
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Shoprite has quietly begun testing a new in-store refill concept called FillRite, and South Africans have a lot to say about it, most of it involving a familiar local brand.
Marketing specialist Hamzeh Majiet posted a video breaking down the FillRite pilot on Instagram on 8 September 2026, sparking an immediate reaction from followers who recognised the concept from somewhere else entirely.
What is Shoprite’s FillRite concept?
The FillRite stations, currently being rolled out across a small number of selected stores, allow shoppers to bring their own containers and refill everyday household staples rather than buying fixed, pre-packaged quantities. Products available at the stations include cooking oil, sugar, rice, maize meal, flour, and certain cleaning liquids, depending on the specific store.
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The model is designed to tackle two issues that have been shaping how South Africans shop: the rising cost of living and growing concern over packaging waste. By charging customers only for the quantity they take, Shoprite is testing whether a pay-per-quantity format can work at mainstream supermarket scale.
Watch Hamzeh Majiet’s full breakdown of the FillRite concept here.
Source: Facebook
Mzansi says Skubu did it first
What caught most commenters off guard was not the concept itself, but how familiar it looked. South African refill brand Skubu has been operating a similar model, and followers were quick to draw the comparison.
Mzansi’s response in the comments was swift:
@kamothecreator said:
“Ah man, they straight up stole Skubu’s idea. 😳😫 How greedy can Shoprite Checkers be? 🤩”
@orazio_jnr wrote:
“Going right up against that Skubu brand. I will give Checkers one thing. When they see a possible trend, they move quickly.”
@powpowindigochild2.0 added:
“I genuinely think the right thing for Shoprite to have done here is to work with Skubu on this. 😬”
@essacksumaya said:
“Skubu did it first. 🍾 Shoprite copied and is now going for the patent.”
@jaqulinemanuel asked:
“Why are they stealing Skubu’s business ideas.”
More stories involving Shoprite
- Shoprite officially took full ownership of popular coffee chain Vida e Caffè.
- A group of Shoprite employees marched through the streets in their red and black uniforms, drawing crowds of onlookers.
- A South African woman went viral after pulling off a clever Shoprite trolley dash strategy that impressed many viewers.
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Source: Briefly News
