Instead, the 55-year-old retiree opted for a 5kg bag of Vietnamese long-grain rice, a new arrival that is at least 10 per cent cheaper than its counterparts from other countries.

'There is a huge price difference,' said Mrs Tay, who had never bought Vietnamese rice before. 'I thought why not give it a shot to save money?'

Read Jessica Lim's full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.