As South African consumers enter 2026 seeking convenience, value and healthier everyday choices, Checkers has again partnered with global chef and wellness advocate Jamie Oliver to remove one of the most persistent household pain points: deciding what to cook for dinner.
The latest phase of the retailer’s Dinner Done Better campaign combines Jamie Oliver’s practical cooking expertise with advanced personalisation, AI-driven content and same-day delivery, reflecting how large retailers are increasingly using data to simplify real-world shopping decisions.
Turning retail data into mealtime solutions
Central to the campaign is Checkers’ Xtra Savings programme, which now has an estimated 33.7 million members, making it one of the largest retail loyalty bases on the African continent.
As part of the January rollout, millions of customers will receive a personalised video message from Jamie Oliver, addressing them by name and recommending a dinner recipe aligned to their typical Checkers shopping behaviour.
This represents a step forward from the retailer’s 2025 personalisation campaign, which used AI-generated voice technology to produce unique Jamie Oliver recordings for more than 44,000 South African names.
The 2026 evolution goes further by incorporating real purchase data, including category preferences and protein-buying patterns, to offer suggestions designed to feel genuinely relevant rather than promotional.
“With over 33.7 million Xtra Savings members, Checkers has access to the largest retail consumption dataset on the African continent,” says Ilze Bylos, chief marketing officer of the Shoprite Group. “We’re now using those insights to remove friction from mealtimes and add true personal value to the shopping experience.”
Convenience meets content and commerce
Beyond personalisation, the campaign also focuses on practical execution. Customers can access a curated selection of quick, nutritious and family-friendly Jamie Oliver recipes online, with all ingredients available for delivery via Sixty60 in under 60 minutes.
Each recipe is supported by short, step-by-step videos, with Oliver guiding home cooks through the process in his trademark accessible style.
To reinforce the omnichannel approach, select Sixty60 shoppers will also receive printed Jamie Oliver recipe cards with orders placed between 12 and 19 January 2026, blending digital inspiration with tangible in-home utility.
“Dinner Done Better is about making daily life easier for our customers,” adds Bylos. “We know how busy January can be, and by combining Jamie’s practical cooking guidance with our fast, reliable delivery and deep personalisation tools, we’re helping customers shop, plan and cook with greater confidence and ease.”
A broader strategy of value and loyalty
The Jamie Oliver collaboration forms part of Checkers’ wider strategy to leverage data, technology and omnichannel platforms to drive loyalty and simplify shopping at scale. Over the past year, the retailer returned up to R16.5bn in instant cashback savings to Xtra Savings customers, while continuing to expand tools that make everyday shopping more relevant and rewarding.
As retailers compete on experience as much as price, Checkers’ Dinner Done Better campaign illustrates how personalised content, trusted brand partnerships and logistics capability can converge to create meaningful value — not just at the checkout, but at the dinner table.
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