Written reply to PQ on excessive price pass-through to essential goods from global supply chain disruptions and rising rentals

Question

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how is the Ministry working with retailers and suppliers to ensure essential goods remain affordable for Singaporeans; and (b) what safeguards exist to prevent excessive price pass-through from global supply chain disruptions and rising rental costs.

Written Answer by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong

1. As a small and open economy that imports most of its supplies,Singapore is subject to global economic forces and supply chain disruptions. To mitigate against these, the Government’s approach is to diversify our import sources. We achieve this through various strategies, including maintaining a comprehensive network of Free Trade Agreements to facilitate access to a broad range of goods and services across different markets, and provide consumers with more choices. We also monitor for and take robust enforcement action against anti-competitive practices. This ensures that businesses compete and price their goods fairly.

2. The Government recognises Singaporeans’ concerns about higher household expenses. That is why Budget 2025 introduced additional support measures, such as the recent $800 in Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers for all Singaporean households, and additional U-Save rebates for eligible HDB households to cope with their utilities expenses. Furthermore, the Government also provided the one-off commemorative SG60 vouchers – worth $600 to adult Singaporeans and $800 to older seniors – that will also offer some cost relief.

3. We are continuing our joint efforts with businesses to provide affordable choices to Singaporeans and help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. Since 1 September, major supermarket operators – NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, and Prime Supermarket – have launched a pilot to display unit prices for selected grocery items. Cold Storage and Giant supermarkets will come on board next month on 31 October. This initiative helps consumers easily compare prices across different brands and package sizes to find the best-value buys and deals, and to stretch their dollar. The insights gained from this pilot will inform the Government’s plans to roll out unit pricing more widely.

4. Supermarket operators also have various initiatives to keep prices of essential items affordable. For instance, FairPrice’s Everyday Low Price campaign offers consumers over 500 products, and there are regular discounts for Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cardholders and seniors. In addition, many businesses are providing SG60 discounts for food and other essential goods to mark Singapore’s 60^th year.