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Meeting everyday needs: S’pore’s largest retailer helps families stretch their dollar, stay healthy

It started in 1973 with a mission to make daily essentials accessible to all. Here’s a look at how FairPrice Group is evolving as it enhances convenience, champions healthier choices, and supports families with quality products at competitive prices

BY GENEVIEVE CHAN | PUBLISHED 8 APR 2025

Every dollar counts in Madam Zeng Jindi’s household.
She and her husband are raising three daughters – aged between 10 and 14 – on just $1,800 a month. It’s a fraction of Singapore’s median household income of $11,297 in 2024.

Despite the tight constraints, she finds ways to make it work. She scrimps, saves and sets aside what little she can for her daughters’ small joys: A new set of stationery, or an occasional fast-food treat.

To her, affordable essentials offer more than just relief – they are a lifeline.

To make every cent count, Madam Zeng relies on FairPrice house-brand products, which typically cost 10 to 15 per cent less than branded alternatives.

“I realised that although (FairPrice’s) house-brand products are cheaper, the quality is similar (to branded alternatives),” she says. She also buys vegetables in bundles when they’re on sale.

She was speaking to The Straits Times in her two-room Housing Board rental apartment. School books line the shelves. Family portraits adorn the walls. 

A queen-sized bed sits in the living room, which doubles as the parents’ bedroom. The three girls share the single bedroom.

On the dinner table, regular household favourites: Fried meat with potatoes, stir-fried vegetables, century egg porridge and, once a week, macaroni and cheese – her eldest daughter’s favourite.

Thursdays are grocery days. With the family’s Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) blue card, they get a 3 per cent discount at FairPrice supermarkets – about $3 savings on their $100 weekly grocery bill.

This Thursday discount was doubled to 6 per cent for the first 60 days of 2025, an initiative sponsored by FairPrice Foundation in celebration of SG60.

“It may not seem like much (each week),” she acknowledges, “but it adds up over time.”

His team develops and sources for affordable, quality options, helping families stretch their dollar while introducing new flavours and innovations. 

It’s a process that involves extensive testing and research – something that Mr Wong, 51, has been engaged in since he joined the unit five years ago.

As part of a study, he followed Singapore families – including lower-income households – to shop for groceries. “I saw firsthand the desire of everyday Singaporeans to have quality groceries to live better (and) their need to stretch their dollar.”

That experience shaped his approach to house-brand products, he says, “to ensure that we deliver quality products at better value so that everyone can live a little better every day”.

Saturdays bring joy to Madam Rosemary Stephew Santhana.

Every second and fourth Saturday, the energetic 84-year-old heads to the multi-purpose hall in her Pasir Ris estate for an afternoon of music, dancing – and fresh produce. 

“I’m not a very good singer, but sometimes I sing along loudly,” says Madam Rose, who loves classics like John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Road.

These food distribution sessions, organised by non-profit Riverlife Community Services, offer residents like her more than just entertainment featuring volunteer musicians.

They provide much-needed support and freedom of choice. Residents pick their own fresh produce from a buffet-style arrangement.

The idea stems from a study conducted in April 2024 by the retailer and its research partner Nielsen, says Ms Cherie Chong, who leads FairPrice Foundation’s team of five. The study polled 1,000 Singaporeans, and included 90-minute home visits to 24 households. 

Findings revealed that while most Singaporeans understand the importance of nutrition, fewer than one in four knew what a balanced meal should include. 

The study also found that lower-income households prefer to receive protein, fruits and vegetables instead of canned goods in food donation programmes.

“We want to meet the needs of lower-income families, and see how we can meaningfully impact their well-being,” says Ms Chong, 34.

Unlike traditional donations of canned goods with long shelf lives, the initiative focuses on fresh, nutritious ingredients, says Ms Chong. 

Ten partner charities, including Riverlife Community Services, will distribute food based on their beneficiaries’ needs. Those who can’t cook will receive vouchers redeemable at FairPrice Group’s food courts for hot meals.

For Madam Rose, this means a wider variety of fresh produce – and more recipes to explore. “I want to try cooking more simple and healthy meals,” she says, grinning.

It was a regular weekday afternoon. The group of young “nutrition detectives” streamed into FairPrice at City Square Mall in neat rows of two. 

Their mission: Help Aunty Mei, 75, buy food. She needs meals that are easy to digest and help her maintain strong bones and teeth.

Aunty Mei is fictional, but the lesson is real. This is the supermarket spree of Start Strong, Stay Strong – Singapore’s first pre-school nutrition and sustainability education programme, championed by FairPrice Foundation.

It was developed by FairPrice Group and FairPrice Foundation, with support from NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool, environmental social enterprise Terra SG and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The Start Strong, Stay Strong programme has three sessions:

• An interactive 1.5-hour classroom session that introduces children to basic food groups, essential nutrients, and their impact on the body;
• A take-home resource where children and parents are encouraged to explore the family’s eating habits and dietary needs; and
• A 1.5-hour learning journey at a FairPrice supermarket, where the children identify foods for different diets and learn to spot key nutrition and sustainability labels.

The programme is already bearing fruit – sometimes surprising parents. 

Madam Herny Natra Mohd Joha, 37, was about to buy a bottle of milk tea when her 6-year-old daughter, Fatimah, stopped her. 

“I don’t think you should buy this, it’s very high in sugar,” Fatimah said, pointing at the Nutri-Grade label. 

The Nutri-Grade system uses colour-coded grades from A to D, with D containing the highest sugar and/or saturated fat content. The bottle of milk tea showed grade C.

“I was shocked,” recalls Madam Herny, laughing.

Parents and peers play a crucial role in shaping healthy eating habits, adds Fatimah’s teacher, Ms Nurul. Children often share what they’ve learnt with friends and family, extending the impact beyond the classroom.

Ms Nurul also engages parents after the sessions to ensure learning continues at home. 

After completing the supermarket spree, each child will receive a nutri-bundle with fresh fruits, breakfast items, and a recipe book with healthy meals that families can explore.

Ms Nurul is proud of her students’ progress and their willingness to try new foods. “I have a boy in my class who isn’t a fan of meat,” she recalls, sharing that he would only take small bites during meals. 

But after learning that chicken provides protein to help build muscle, he was willing to eat it.

This change is also evident in Fatimah, who used to only eat familiar vegetables. “Just last week, she tried long beans for the first time and said it was yummy,” says her mother. “I hope that she will continue these healthy habits.

All these efforts add up, says FairPrice Foundation’s Ms Chong, highlighting initiatives such as daily discounts for seniors and Chas cardholders, weekly fresh produce distributions through A Full Plate, and nutrition education programmes like Start Strong, Stay Strong.

They embody FairPrice Group’s mission: To make every day a little better. “It’s about putting in daily effort, together with the community, to create lasting impact,” she says.

For Madam Rose, it means the dignity of choice and the joy of experimenting with new recipes. For Madam Herny, it represents the hope of a healthier future for her children.

As for Madam Zeng, every dollar saved at the supermarket makes room for small luxuries for her three daughters.

Together with her new income, she can aspire to better days with more family outings or even a meal outside, without first having to check and calculate prices.

Small moments that, for a mother who has spent over a decade making do, mean being able to do more.