South Africa, Aug. 11 -- About half of consumers will switch brands if their expectations are unmet, compelling retailers to continuously innovate and improve.

Industry growth is tapering down across several African markets. South Africa's real retail growth has declined in recent years, constrained by economic stagnation and inflation.

In East Africa, while GDP growth remains relatively strong, formal retail continues to be constrained by infrastructure gaps and logistical inefficiencies.

In response, retailers across the continent are scaling their technology investments to boost competitiveness in an increasingly digital and data-driven industry.

According to Gartner, African retailers are projected to invest $300m in cloud-based e...