TGIF: FairPrice launches Friday discount scheme offering 5% off 100 staple items

SINGAPORE - Shoppers enjoyed a five per cent discount on 100 staple items at FairPrice supermarkets and hypermarkets on Friday (March 4), the launch of the chain's weekly discount programme.

Consumers The Straits Times spoke to were happy with their savings. Some said that they were unaware of the programme before their trip to the supermarket, making the discount a pleasant surprise.

This discount, which is part of FairPrice Group's Stretch Your Dollar programme, is available every Friday till the end of the year. It aims to help the public cope with the rising inflation worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and increasing resource prices.

Household staples such as eggs, rice, milk and toilet paper are some of the essential items making up the basket of 100 items.

Madam Chan Lay Hwee, 63, who was shopping at the FairPrice supermarket at 138 Tampines Street 11, had three discounted items on her grocery list.

The housewife said she found out about the discount only when she was paying for her items.

She added: "This programme will definitely help. Five per cent makes a big difference."

Madam Heryani Ahmad, 67, agreed that the discount would reduce the cost of living for many, but she said she would not do her weekly grocery shopping only on Fridays.

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"I used to shop only on Wednesdays because of the Merdeka Generation discount, but now I shop when I need to. I don't want to stress myself out having to remember which days I should buy groceries," said the housewife.

FairPrice supermarkets and hypermarkets have existing discount schemes for the Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation, seniors and Community Health Assist Scheme card holders from Mondays to Thursdays.

Some residents had heard of the discount prior to its commencement, and planned to go grocery shopping on Fridays to enjoy the savings.

Mr Sim Kok Ping read about the launch of the programme on Facebook and shopped at the FairPrice supermarket at Tampines Mall on Friday as a result.

The retiree, 72, who used to be a technician, said: "Why not save a bit of money by choosing to shop on Fridays?"

Ms Caroline Ong, 48, suggested the FairPrice Group implement discounts on the weekends as well.

The housewife said: "I think most people can do their grocery shopping only on the weekends because of work, so it would be good to have promotions then."

There were displays and posters on the five per cent discount both inside and outside the supermarkets to alert shoppers. Items under the Stretch Your Dollar programme are marked with a yellow sticker on the price display label.

Mr Charles Cheong, 53, said he hoped that the list will expand in the future.

The sales executive said: "I hope that it will cover a bigger variety of items, considering the impending GST hike and how inflation is hitting the global market."

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Other supermarket chains have also introduced campaigns in the last two years to offer price savings on essential items.

Giant, which belongs to the DFI Retail Group (DFI), introduced Lower Prices That Last in September 2020. Under this campaign, prices of many everyday essentials have been reduced by an average of 20 per cent and shoppers enjoy general grocery savings of up to 13 per cent compared with key competitors, said DFI.

The daily campaign now covers almost 700 essential products, including fresh produce, groceries, personal care and household items.

Last month, Cold Storage, which also comes under DFI, said all 25 of its stores will introduce a monthly list of daily essential items that will be sold at low prices. The products will be refreshed every month.

The prices of these items, which include seafood, bread and meat, will be comparable with those in Giant.

Other than the weekly discount at supermarkets, FairPrice's Stretch Your Dollar will also ensure hot coffee and tea — with low sugar, or no sugar, and no milk — are sold at 90 cents a cup across 80 coffee shops until the year's end, without any price increase. These Kopitiam and NTUC Foodfare outlets are run by the FairPrice Group.

There will also not be any price increase for traditional breakfast sets and other variations of coffee and tea at these outlets.

The Stretch Your Dollar programme had its first run in 2007 and 2008 during a financial crisis. It was brought back from 2010 to 2011 as the economic downturn loomed.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.