January 10, 2025
SINGAPORE – The prices of 15 popular seafood, pork and vegetable items sold at FairPrice outlets islandwide will be frozen, starting from Jan 9 through the Chinese New Year period.
This will keep such items affordable during the festive period, said FairPrice Group (FPG) on Jan 9. It had done the same in previous years.
Items that will have their prices locked include seafood like Chinese pomfret, grey prawns and red snapper, while the vegetables include enoki and shiitake mushrooms, as well as napa cabbage.
Spare ribs and minced pork have been added to the list in 2025 as they have proved popular, said Mr Andy Chang, director of fresh and frozen products at FPG.
The group noted that prices of popular fresh produce at wet markets typically increase during this season.
Surveys it conducted from Jan 2 to 7 showed that prices of items such as Chinese pomfret and red grouper had gone up and were around 20 per cent to 30 per cent higher at four wet markets – in Chinatown Complex, Bedok, Tiong Bahru and Ghim Moh – compared with prices at FairPrice.
For example, an extra-large Chinese pomfret weighing around 600g to 800g cost an average of $57.33 per kg at wet markets, compared with $39.80 at FairPrice.
At the peak of price hikes at wet markets in 2024, the prices of higher-end seafood had nearly doubled.
“High demand for festive produce inevitably drives prices up, and so this price freeze is our way of making every day of the season a little better for our customers by keeping these popular festive essentials within reach,” said Mr Vipul Chawla, group chief executive officer of FPG.
This year’s promotion will run until Feb 12, the last day of Chinese New Year.
Mr Chang said FPG maintains the flow of produce throughout the festive period via prior commitments with suppliers, so that items do not fall short when Chinese New Year begins.
At FairPrice Xtra at AMK Hub, the seafood items on offer proved to be particularly popular, despite Jan 9 being the first day of the promotion.
Customers like Mrs Dorothy Koh, 64, were snapping up prawns, stocking up well in advance for reunion dinners.
“Basically, Singaporeans are kiasu (Hokkien for “fear of losing out”) and I am one of them, so I think nobody is going to wait until the last minute to get (their produce),” said Mrs Koh, who will have her reunion dinner at her brother’s house.
She added that she has a freezer that is “able to hold (food) for months”.
The housewife, who prefers to shop at supermarkets instead of wet markets because of the convenience and ease of finding items, is hoping for more steamboat ingredients to be added to the price freeze list.
Mr Chang said FPG “will continue to monitor customers’ demand” and keep the list of goods relevant to their needs.
The price freeze comes after FPG announced in December 2024 that those who hold blue and orange Community Health Assist Scheme – or Chas – cards will enjoy 6 per cent discounts at all FairPrice supermarkets and Unity outlets on Thursdays and Fridays from Jan 1 to March 1.
Earlier in January, some major supermarket chains, such as FairPrice and Giant, also announced that they will be giving out $6 return vouchers for shoppers who spend at least $60 worth of their CDC vouchers.