Woolworths Sale This Week: Clothing, Food and How to Tell a Real Markdown

Quick answer: Woolworths runs sales across fashion, beauty and home as well as food promotions, and the current offers are published on its website and app and in store. We could not find a fixed public sale calendar or Black Friday 2026 details, so check the Woolworths app for dates. The group's fashion, beauty and home sales in South Africa grew 6.2% in the 26 weeks to 28 December 2025, with growth sustained through Black Friday and the festive season, according to its interim results coverage.

Last updated: October 2026. Facts come from Woolworths Holdings interim results coverage (Bizcommunity, Quartr), Daily Investor and Wikipedia. We could not find WRewards-specific Black Friday offers or full FY2026 annual results in the sources we checked. We do not quote prices.

Update, October 2026: Woolworths' WRewards and MySchool cards stopped working on 30 June 2026 and were replaced by the MyDifference programme (Loyal, Ambassador and VIP tiers, with a virtual card in the Woolies app). References to WRewards in this article describe the programme as it was before that date.

How Woolworths has been trading

Knowing how a retailer is trading helps you read its sales. In January 2025 Woolworths warned that profit could fall by up to 27% because clothing performed below expectations in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Fashion, beauty and home sales in South Africa grew only 2.5% at that time, with growth over the last eight weeks at 0.9%. By the interim results for the 26 weeks to 28 December 2025, headline earnings per share had risen 9.6% to 167.4 cents, and the company credited food momentum plus a refreshed fashion offering.

Measure (26 weeks to 28 December 2025)	Result
Headline earnings per share	Up 9.6% to 167.4 cents
Group turnover and concession sales	R42.5 billion, up 6.1% in constant currency
Woolworths South Africa sales	Up 6.8%
Fashion, beauty and home, South Africa	Up 6.2%, comparable stores up 6.4%
Growth in final seven weeks	About 6.1%, sustained through Black Friday
Interim dividend	Up 10.3% to 118.0 cents per share

What this means for you: a retailer that has repositioned its fashion range and has strong stock availability may need fewer deep markdowns, so do not expect every item to drop sharply. Look for end-of-season clearance and compare with other fashion chains.

Types of Woolworths sale

Sale type	What to expect	How to check
End-of-season clothing sale	Reduced prices on older seasonal lines	Look for the original and reduced price on the tag
Food promotions	Multi-buys and member prices	Check WRewards and the dates
Black Friday	27 November 2026; the previous year's growth held through Black Friday	Track prices from October
Home and beauty offers	Seasonal gifting and clearance	Compare with other home retailers

How to spot a real markdown

1. Note the price early. Take a photo of an item you want a few weeks before the sale.
2. Check the tag. The reduced price should be clearly shown against the earlier price.
3. Compare equivalents. Check similar items at Edgars, Mr Price, Truworths or Zara for the same quality.
4. Check the fit and fabric. A cheap item that does not fit is not a saving.
5. Check the returns policy. Sale items may have different return terms, so ask before buying.

The cost-per-wear method

Divide the price by the number of times you expect to wear an item. The numbers are invented. A coat at R1,800 worn 60 times costs R30 per wear. A cheaper coat at R900 worn 15 times because it loses shape costs R60 per wear. A sale is a good deal only when the item will actually get used.

Item (invented numbers)	Price	Wears	Cost per wear
Quality coat	R1,800	60	R30
Cheap coat	R900	15	R60
Basic T-shirt	R200	50	R4

Your rights

The Consumer Protection Act requires goods to be of good quality and gives a general six-month window to return defective goods. Advertised prices must be accurate. Many retailers have their own returns policy for change-of-mind returns, and sale items can have different rules, so check before you pay. Keep your slip.

Woolworths versus other retailers on sales

Retailer	Typical position	Watch-out
Woolworths	Quality-led, higher price points	Smaller percentage markdowns on core lines
Mr Price	Value fashion and home	Quality varies
Edgars and Truworths	Mid-range fashion with account options	Credit terms
Online fashion stores	Wide range and fast delivery	Return costs

Pros and cons

Pros

• Quality focus and improving clothing performance.
• WRewards and app convenience.
• Food and fashion in one brand.

Cons

• Premium price points.
• No fixed public sale calendar found.
• Sale terms can differ from full-price terms.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Woolworths sale?

We found no public calendar. Check the app and website.

Does Woolworths do Black Friday?

The group's fashion, beauty and home sales growth was reported as sustained through Black Friday and the festive season in 2025. Black Friday 2026 is on 27 November.

Are sale items returnable?

Defective goods fall under the Consumer Protection Act. For change-of-mind returns, check the store policy.

Is Woolworths clothing recovering?

Interim results showed fashion, beauty and home up 6.2% in South Africa.

Sources

• Bizcommunity: Woolworths expects earnings rise on festive sales; flags lower half-year profit on weak clothing sales
• Quartr: Woolworths Holdings H1 2026 earnings summary
• Daily Investor: Woolworths geared for a comeback
• Wikipedia: Woolworths (South Africa)