If the thought of back-to-school shopping makes your wallet wince, this might be the best news you’ll hear all summer. FNB and PEP have teamed up once again to bring back their wildly popular 99c school shoes initiative, offering parents a small but meaningful bit of financial breathing room as the new school year approaches.
Running at PEP clothing stores nationwide from 4 January to 14 February 2026 (or while stocks last), the campaign allows qualifying customers to purchase a pair of school shoes for just 99 cents – a saving that, for many families, can make a real difference.
With the cost of living continuing to rise, entry-level households are feeling the strain more than ever. Beyond food, transport and electricity, school uniforms remain one of the biggest seasonal expenses for parents. And with an estimated 14 million children heading back to school in 2026, even small savings quickly add up.
That’s where initiatives like this step in. According to FNB eBucks Rewards CEO Pieter Woodhatch, previous campaigns had a tangible impact:
‘This year marks another meaningful step in supporting our customers and their families. Through our previous initiative, we sold close to 90 000 shoe vouchers at 99c each. This helped thousands of households save over R12 million and ensured that children had access to affordable school shoes.’
How the 99c school shoes work
The offer is available to FNB Easy and Aspire Debit, Credit or Fusion account holders, and is limited to the first 120 000 qualifying customers, according to the Daily Investor
To qualify, customers need to:
- Spend R300 or more (excluding school shoes) in a single transaction at any PEP clothing store.
- Pay using an eligible FNB card
- Scan a PEP+ more rewards digital card at checkout
Once qualified, customers can either:
- Buy student prince synthetic school shoes for 99c, or
- Receive R139 off any other school shoe
There’s a limit of one pair per customer, and as always with deals this good, it’s available while stocks last.
‘This is more than just a discount; it’s our way of further supporting the resilience and resourcefulness of our customers,’ said Head of Marketing at PEP, Angela Beukes, at the time of the previous campaign.
‘Thanks to FNB, we’re making it possible for more families to provide quality school essentials for their children, ensuring that they step into the new year with confidence.’
With more than 2 600 stores nationwide, PEP remains one of the most accessible retailers for families preparing for the school year – and this collaboration simply strengthens that offering.
A growing pattern of practical support
The school shoes initiative follows FNB’s successful partnership with Pick n Pay, which allows qualifying customers to buy loaves of bread for 99c. In December 2024 alone, over 400 000 loaves were purchased at the discounted price, highlighting just how impactful small, everyday savings can be.
‘We are excited to collaborate with PEP, as a like-minded partner, to offer this valuable back-to-school benefit to our customers, which aims to make it easier for them to stretch their rands further and make the start to the year a little easier, especially during these challenging economic times,’ added Woodhatch.
Visit your nearest PEP clothing store from early January, bring your FNB card and PEP+ more rewards, and step into the new school year with one less thing to worry about.
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Picture: PEP / Facebook
