Petshop Science
Petshop Science is a South African pet-retail chain owned by Checkers, offering pet supplies, grooming products, pet insurance and app-based home delivery.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Petshop Science is a South African retail chain focused on products and services for household pets. It was established in 2021 when Checkers, a major South African supermarket business, entered the dedicated pet-store sector. The launch followed Checkers's earlier move into pet insurance and made it the first South African supermarket group to establish a pet-store operation, according to the referenced account. The business is headquartered in Brackenfell in the Western Cape and serves customers through a network of standalone or dedicated pet stores. Its assortment covers routine pet-care needs, including products for dogs and cats, grooming supplies, and merchandise from third-party brands. The chain also sells grooming products under its Sugacoat house brand. In addition to physical retail, Petshop Science makes approximately 3,500 products from about 80 brands available for home delivery through Checkers's Sixty60 app-based delivery service. Pet insurance is another part of the proposition. The cover is offered through Petshop Science and underwritten by OUTsurance, a major South African insurer. This gives the chain a broader position than a conventional product-only pet shop, combining consumable and durable pet merchandise with an insurance service. The chain expanded quickly after its creation. During Checkers's 2024 financial year, its store count reached 86, approximately twice the number with which it began that period. In November 2024, the company opened its 100th store in Kempton Park, Gauteng. By 2024, it was reported to operate 173 locations across eight of South Africa's provinces, making it the country's second-largest pet-store chain by number of outlets, behind Woolworths-owned Absolute Pets. The different store-count references reflect expansion at different points in the reporting period. Petshop Science targets mid-to-high-income consumers, with a customer profile described as similar to the lifestyle and market segment associated with Checkers FreshX stores. Its competitive model therefore combines specialist pet retail with the reach, retail infrastructure, delivery capability and customer ecosystem of a large supermarket group. In July 2025, it partnered with Standard Bank's UCount Rewards programme, extending its links with an established consumer-loyalty platform. The available reference material identifies the chain as active and expanding, but does not provide a standalone financial profile, public listing, chief executive information, or an official corporate website.
History
Petshop Science was created in 2021 as Checkers's entry into South Africa's dedicated pet-store market. The move extended Checkers's existing interest in pet services: the supermarket group had become the first South African supermarket group to offer pet insurance in the preceding year. Petshop Science consequently launched as a specialist retail concept rather than merely as a supermarket pet-products aisle. The company is based in Brackenfell, Western Cape, and developed a nationwide store network aimed at mid-to-high-income households. Its stores sell pet products from third-party brands and include grooming merchandise marketed under the Sugacoat house brand. The business also provides pet insurance underwritten by OUTsurance, allowing it to combine retail sales with a service associated with the longer-term cost of pet ownership. Expansion was rapid. During Checkers's 2024 financial year, the chain ended the year with 86 stores, roughly twice the number at the beginning of that period. A further public milestone came in November 2024, when the 100th store opened in Kempton Park, Gauteng. Reporting for 2024 described Petshop Science as operating 173 locations across eight of South Africa's provinces. On that measure it was the country's second-largest pet-store chain by number of stores, behind Absolute Pets, which is owned by Woolworths. The varying counts represent different points in the chain's continuing rollout. The business operates both through physical locations and through Checkers's Sixty60 app. Home delivery covers approximately 3,500 products from around 80 brands, giving Petshop Science access to an established digital fulfilment channel rather than requiring a separate delivery network. In July 2025, it added a partnership with Standard Bank's UCount Rewards loyalty programme. This connected the chain to a broader financial-services rewards ecosystem and supported its positioning as a modern, convenience-oriented specialist retailer. The available reference material does not identify a founder, named executives, standalone financial results, stock-market listing, or official website. It does establish Petshop Science as an active Checkers subsidiary with a rapidly growing South African retail presence.
- 2025
UCount Rewards partnership
[1]Petshop Science partnered with Standard Bank's UCount Rewards programme in July 2025.
- 2024
Rapid store expansion
[1]During the 2024 financial year, the chain ended with 86 stores, approximately double its opening count for the period.
- 2024
100th store opens
[1]The 100th Petshop Science store opened in Kempton Park, Gauteng, in November 2024.
- 2021
Petshop Science is founded
[1]Checkers launched Petshop Science as its dedicated pet-store chain and entered South Africa's specialist pet-retail sector.
- 2020
Checkers enters pet insurance
[1]Checkers became the first South African supermarket group reported to offer pet insurance, preceding the creation of Petshop Science.
Products and positioning
A specialist pet retailer for South African mid-to-high-income consumers, combining dedicated stores and pet-care services with Checkers's supermarket infrastructure, Sixty60 delivery platform and loyalty partnerships.
Pet retail · 2021
General pet products
Petshop Science stores offer a broad selection of products for household pets, with the available material specifically identifying dog- and cat-related merchandise among the chain's core categories. The assortment includes products supplied by third-party brands and is intended to cover recurring and occasional pet-care needs. The chain makes roughly 3,500 products from about 80 brands available through Checkers's Sixty60 home-delivery service.
Pet grooming
Sugacoat
Sugacoat is Petshop Science's house brand for pet grooming products. It forms part of the chain's effort to supplement national and third-party brands with proprietary merchandise. The available reference does not specify the full product range, formulation, pricing or distribution beyond its presence in Petshop Science stores.
Pet insurance · 2021
Pet insurance
Petshop Science offers pet insurance as a service alongside its retail assortment. The insurance is underwritten by OUTsurance, a major South African insurer. This offering broadens the chain's proposition from selling pet goods to supporting an ongoing financial-protection need for pet owners. Specific policy terms, premiums and coverage levels are not provided in the reference material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025UCount Rewards partnership
South Africa
Petshop Science partnered with Standard Bank's UCount Rewards loyalty programme in July 2025, connecting the pet retailer with an established bank-linked rewards ecosystem.
Outcome. The reference confirms the partnership but does not provide reported customer, sales or membership results.
Brand decisions
2024
Accelerated store rolloutStrategyBackground
Petshop Science was expanding within a competitive South African pet-retail market.
Action taken
The chain increased its store base to 86 by the end of Checkers's 2024 financial year and subsequently reached its 100th store in November.
Aftermath
By 2024, reporting placed the chain at 173 locations across eight provinces and second nationally by store count.
2021
Checkers enters dedicated pet retailStrategyBackground
Checkers had already entered pet insurance and then sought a presence in South Africa's specialist pet-store sector.
Action taken
It established Petshop Science as a dedicated chain selling pet products and offering related services.
Aftermath
The chain expanded rapidly and became one of South Africa's largest pet-store networks by location count.
Recent events
Checkers opens its tenth Petshop Science store[2]
Reported:
Checkers opened its tenth Petshop Science store at Eden Meander in George, South Africa, on December 6, 2021. The retailer said it planned to have 12 standalone stores by year-end.
Shoprite opens first Petshop Science store[3]
Shoprite opened its first Petshop Science pet store in April at Fairbridge Mall in Cape Town, near Checkers Hyper Brackenfell.
Sources3 sources
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