10% savings for NTUC members at Kopitiam outlets

About 2.4 million NTUC members and NTUC Link members will enjoy 10 per cent savings when they buy food and drinks at Kopitiam foodcourts and coffee shop outlets by the end of the year, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said yesterday, as part of its May Day celebrations.

The savings will come in the form of 5 per cent cash and 5 per cent Linkpoints, and will apply at all stalls at 46 foodcourts and all drink kiosks at 80 Kopitiam outlets.

But to reap the savings, members will need to pay using the FairPrice app. This initiative aims to help cushion workers from the impact of rising inflation, NTUC said in a press statement.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said: "We will continue in our approach through the FairPrice Group, especially to step up in times of need and, very importantly, to set benchmark prices for daily necessities as much as possible."

He noted that fuel, food and freight costs have all gone up, so businesses and consumers face increased cost pressures.

The 10 per cent savings initiative has already been piloted at malls Jurong Point and Northshore Plaza in Punggol. It will be progressively rolled out to the other Kopitiam outlets by the end of the year.

Mr Ng added that NTUC is also modernising itself and improving its digital capabilities, which is why it wants to move customers towards paying using the FairPrice app, so that similar services can be delivered to them digitally.

"We hope that in time, we will be able to drive digitalisation, not just across our social enterprises, but across all entities to support the national agenda to move us to the space where we are more digital, and therefore be able to explore more possibilities in the larger economy," he said.

Besides this initiative, NTUC social enterprises have also been setting price benchmarks to moderate the prices of daily necessities.

NTUC has held prices of more than 700 essential items to keep them competitive or lower than other retailers'.

It will also hold the prices for breakfast sets and hot coffee and tea across Kopitiam and Foodfare outlets until the end of the year.

FairPrice outlets will also be offering 50 per cent off four selected items every week until May 25.

This will start with Darlie double action toothpaste, Maggi Hot Cup noodles, house brand FairPrice Golden Royal Dragon Thai white fragrant rice, and Coffee Hock With 100 Per Cent Natural Lemongrass/Chrysanthemum, for the first week beginning on April 28.

Mr Ng said: "We will continue to champion the interests of our workers, especially to handle the cost of living. I maintain the view that the best way to deal with that is actually through better wages and better work prospects.

"And in the meantime, with the immediate pressures we see on the ground, we want to extend some welfare benefits."

He said he hoped the 10 per cent savings would relieve cost of living pressures, not only in supermarkets but also in the cooked food sector.

Other NTUC initiatives to help workers, he said, included raising the retirement and re-employment ages, rolling out progressive wages to more industries, and working on anti-discrimination legislation and support for platform workers.