South Africa, Jan. 8 -- Financial pressure

The move comes as South African households face increased financial pressure at the start of the year, with education, transport and grocery costs placing strain on January budgets.

"January is when financial reality sets in," says Dean Hyde, chief operating officer at payments platform and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) provider, PayJustNow. "People are not looking to spend more. They are looking to spread costs in a way that fits their income cycles and creates breathing room, without paying interest or risking a debt spiral."

Against this backdrop, Shoprite Group customers can now use PayJustNow's interest-free BNPL or interest-bearing Pay-in-12 option. This enables consumers to split voucher pay...