Covid-19 online grocery shopping essentials: Amazon vs NTUC vs Lazada/RedMart
PHOTO: Pixabay
PUBLISHED ONMarch 29, 2020 1:48 AMByGermaine Wong
There's no need to panic. Really.
Even with the right purchasing power, it doesn't mean that you're making the right buying decisions in times of Covid-19. I mean, just look at all the folks hoarding toilet paper.
And after all the purchases have been made, where would one realistically store all that food and finish it, before the expiration date.
So if you really need to stay indoors for an extended period of time, and plan ahead when it comes to groceries and necessities, do it right.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has an emergency guidebook with an estimated guide on exactly how much food should one stockpile up on in the event of an emergency.
| Rice and oil | 3kg of rice 1 bottle of cooking oil |
| Canned food | 14 assorted cans of vegetables, meat, fish and beans. (about 400g per can) |
| Dry rations | 2 packets of assorted biscuits (about 210g each) 15 packets of instant noodles |
| Beverages | 1-2 tins of milk powder (dependant on age of the infant) 1 packet sugar (500g) |
To make stocking up on these essentials easier for you, we've compiled a list of various affordable food items from online grocery stores for you to easily shop and stock up, without having to leave your house.
If you're concerned about saving money, RedMart has a Price Match Guarantee to make sure you enjoy the best deals on their products.
If you really need your items fast, Amazon's PrimeNow service (only available via an app) is the fastest way to get your essentials. Otherwise, the Amazon listings below might look rather skint.
Rice
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Golden Peony Jasmine Fragrant Rice (5kg) | $7.50 | $7.50 | $7.50 |
| FairPrice Jasmine Fragrant Rice (5kg) | – | – | $8.20 |
| Naturel Organic Rice – Mixed Brown and Red (2kg) | $9.80 | – | $9.80 |
| Jin Huang Thai Fragrant Rice (5kg) | $11.62 | – | – |
| SongHe AAA Thai Hom Mali Rice (5kg) | $16.22 | $16.20 | $16.20 |
Cooking Oil
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Tsuru Vegetable Cooking Oil (1L) | $2.75 | $3 | – |
| OKI RSPO Premium Cooking Oil (1L) | $3.40 | – | – |
| Tsuru Sunflower Oil (1L) | $3.95 | $4.20 | – |
| Knife Brand Cooking Oil (1L) | – | – | $3.95 |
Canned Vegetables
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Narcissus Can Whole Mushrooms (425g) | $1.65 | – | $1.65 |
| S&W Premium Whole Kernal Corn (432g) | $1.55 | – | $1.55 |
| Mili Pickled Lettuce (182g) | $0.75 (2 for $1.35) | – | $0.75 (2 for $1.35) |
| S&W Premium Sliced Beets (411g) | $2.10 | – | – |
Canned Meat
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Jia Way Luncheon Meat – Pork (397g) | – | – | $1.95 |
| Maling Premium Luncheon Meat – Pork (397g) | $2.85 | – | $2.85 |
| Highway Luncheon Meat – Ham (397g) | $2.90 | – | $2.90 |
| Hormel Spam Luncheon Meat – Classic (340g) | $5.50 | – | $6.25 |
| Hormel Spam Luncheon Meat – 20% Less Sodium (340g) | $5.50 | – | $6.25 |
Canned Fish
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Yeo’s Can Food – Sardine in Tomato Sauce (425g) | $2.15 | – | $1.95 |
| Farmland Skipjack Tuna Chunks in Brine (185g) | $2.20 | – | $2.20 |
| Ayam Brand Tuna Chunks – Water (150g) | $2.65 | $2.65 | $2.65 |
| Ayam Brand Sardine in Tomato Sauce (425g) | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.60 |
ALSO READ: More online grocery shopping, food delivery with coronavirus outbreak
Canned Beans
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Narcissus Braised Peanuts (170g) | $0.80 | – | $0.80 |
| Mili Green Peas (397g) | $1.05 | – | $1.05 |
| Divella Chick Peas (400g) | $1.30 | – | – |
| Ayam Brand Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (425g) | $1.45 | – | $1.45 |
| S&W Premium Black Beans (425g) | $2.20 | – | – |
Assorted Biscuits
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Khong Guan Premium Marie Biscuits (260g) | $2.20 | – | $1.85 |
| McVitie’s Original Digestive Wheat Biscuits (500g) | $3.45 | – | $3.45 |
| EGO Premium Cookies (450g) | $4.95 | – | – |
| Khong Guan Assorted Biscuits (700g) | $7.30 | – | $7.70 |
ALSO READ: Online mall Qoo10 removes listing selling 30 'anti-coronavirus' masks for $10,000
Instant Noodles
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Myojo Chicken Abalone Flavour (5 x 79g) | $2 | – | $1.85 |
| Indomie Mi Goreng Special (5 x 85g) | $2 | – | $1.70 |
| Nissin Chu Qian Yi Ding Sesame Flavour (5 x 81g) | $2.30 | – | $2.30 |
| Koka Chicken Original Flavour (5 x 85g) | $2.35 | – | $2.35 |
| Maggi Chicken Flavour (5 x 77g) | $2.50 | – | $2.20 |
Milk Powder
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| Fernleaf Family Milk Powder (1.1kg) | $13.45 | $13.45 | $13.45 |
| Nestle OMEGA Adult Milk Powder (700g) | $15.95 | $15.95 | $15.95 |
| Enfagrow A+ Children Milk Powder – Stage 5 (Age 6+, 1.8g) | $71.95 | $67 | $71.95 |
| Enfagrow A+ Children Milk Powder – Stage 4 (Age 3 – 6, 1.8kg) | $76 | $68 | $76 |
Packet Sugar
| Lazada | Amazon | NTUC | |
| RedMan Fine Sugar (1kg) | $1.50 | – | – |
| FairPrice Pure Cane Sugar – Fine Grain (1kg) | – | – | $1.50 |
| FairPrice Pure Cane Sugar – Coarse Grain (1kg) | – | – | $1.50 |
| SIS White Sugar – Fine Grain (800g) | – | – | $1.90 |
There you have it, a quick list for all the essential food items you will need in case of an emergency, according to the SCDF guidelines.
Here is also a quick look at the delivery fees of the three online grocery stores, as well as how quickly they will be able to deliver your items to you.
| Lazada | Amazon Prime Now | NTUC | |
| Delivery Fees | LiveUp Members Below S$40: S$5.99 Above S$40: Free Non-LiveUp Members Below S$60: S$5.99 Above S$60: Free |
Local two-hour delivery Below S$40: S$5.99 Above S$40: Free Local one-hour delivery Per order: S$9.99 |
Below S$59: S$7 S$59 and above: Free |
| Delivery Time | Seven days a week, including weekends and public holidays. From 7am to 11pm. Earliest available deliver: Same-day delivery (subject to availability) |
10am to 10pm, everyday. Earliest available deliver: Same-day delivery (subject to availability) |
8am to 10pm. You can choose up to 7 days from your date of purchase. Earliest available deliver: Next-day delivery (subject to availability) |
It seems when buying groceries recommended by the SCDF, Amazon won't be your best option for an online grocery store.
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It's simply lacking too many items to be of much help. Instead, Redmart and NTUC seem more ready to help Singaporeans get ready for an emergency with their wider selection of groceries, with everything from rice, to canned meat, and instant noodles.
Redmart also seems to have the cheapest delivery fee out of the three online grocery stores, with non-LiveUp members needing to only spend between $40 to $60 to enjoy $5.99 shipping.
Though if you are planning to stock up for an emergency, we think you will easily be able to hit the minimum amount required for free shipping on any of the three online stores.
Aside from shopping for food, you can also take start adding shows to your to-watch list to keep you entertained so you don't go insane from being cooped up at home all day.
For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.
This article was first published in Geek Culture.