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Insights Centre
Sectors · Retail across SADC

Retail in Botswana

Who sells where, which chains are expanding, what each catchment holds and where shoppers are underserved.

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Value added by trade, restaurants and hotels, 2024US$2.9bn15.9% of the economy · 7th largest of 16 in SADC
Real growth+2.5%a year over the last five years, at constant prices
Exports of the pillar's goods, 2024US$25m-26% on five years earlier · 14th in SADC
Deals in the last 12 months17 tracked in Botswana in all

Trade, restaurants and hotels added US$2.9bn to Botswana's economy in 2024

Value added by trade, restaurants and hotels, the industries in the national accounts closest to retail, US$, at the prices of each year and at constant 2020 prices (which show real growth)

0$1bn$2bn$3bn199019921994199619982000200220042006200820102012201420162018202020222024Prices of each yearUS$2.9bnConstant 2020 pricesUS$2.6bn
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

Botswana has SADC's 7th largest trade, restaurants and hotels sector

Value added by trade, restaurants and hotels, US$, latest year, with its share of each economy

South AfricaUS$49.9bn13.8% of the economy
AngolaUS$23.5bn20.5% of the economy
DRCUS$11.7bn16.7% of the economy
TanzaniaUS$8.3bn10.9% of the economy
ZimbabweUS$6.6bn15.2% of the economy
ZambiaUS$4.9bn20.4% of the economy
BotswanaUS$2.9bn15.9% of the economy
MauritiusUS$2.4bn18.5% of the economy
MozambiqueUS$2.0bn10.0% of the economy
MadagascarUS$1.9bn11.7% of the economy
NamibiaUS$1.7bn14.3% of the economy
MalawiUS$1.4bn12.3% of the economy
EswatiniUS$793m17.2% of the economy
SeychellesUS$341m18.7% of the economy
ComorosUS$317m20.9% of the economy
LesothoUS$198m9.6% of the economy
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

Population: Botswana against SADC

Population, people, latest year for each country. Click a bar for that country's retail page.

020m40m60m80m100m120mDRC112.8mTanzania70.5mSouth Africa64.7mAngola39.0mMozambique35.6mMadagascar32.7mMalawi22.2mZambia21.9mZimbabwe17.0mNamibia3.1mBotswana2.6mLesotho2.4mEswatini1.3mMauritius1.2mComoros883kSeychelles123kmedian 19.4m

Source: World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Botswana's trade in retail goods since 2012

Exports and imports of the products in this pillar's subsectors, each product counted once, US$

0$1bn$2bn$3bn2012201420162018202020222024ExportsUS$25mImportsUS$2.0bn
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Subsectors

10 in this pillar

Grocery and household goods in Botswana

Tracks
Supermarket and small-shop chains and their outlets, chains new to each country, packaged food and household goods imported and exported by value and weight, and growth in household spending.
Signals ahead
Growing suburbs with no supermarket within 15 minutes, mall announcements, chains' expansion guidance.
Chains new in the last year1since 2024-12E.Leclerc Express 1

Select a figure for its trend. Source: CEPII BACI, All The Places, dotzedw deals tracker.

Trade in detail

Botswana exported US$3.0m and imported US$652m of grocery and household goods in 2024; exports down 59% on five years earlier, 0% of what SADC sells abroad.

Botswana's main exports in this subsector, 2024

Malt extract (190190)US$1.3m
Toilet paper and similar paper, cellulose wadding or webs… (481810)US$395k
Soya oil (150710)US$301k
Other prepared or preserved meat, meat offal or blood (160250)US$116k
Other prepared or preserved meat, meat offal or blood (160210)US$109k

Botswana's trade in grocery and household goods every year since 2012, by partner is part of the Individual plan

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Open these deals in the deals tracker

What Botswana sells abroad across retail

Botswana's exports by subsector, 2024, US$, with its share of SADC's exports. A product can count in two subsectors.

Clothing, furniture and general merchandiseUS$17m0.5% of SADC · -23% on five years earlier
Grocery and household goodsUS$3.0m0% of SADC · -59% on five years earlier
Pharmacy retailUS$2.6m0.5% of SADC · +2% on five years earlier
Fuel forecourts and convenienceUS$2.2m0.1% of SADC · +26% on five years earlier
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Who is moving

Open in the deals tracker

1 deals in the last 12 months involving Botswana, placed in subsectors by what they say.

Sources and method