SINGAPORE – Muslims can get free drinks, snacks and dates from 60 FairPrice outlets to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
The initiative started on Thursday and will continue till April 21. The refreshments will be distributed 30 minutes before and after iftar, the evening meal eaten by Muslims to break fast after the sun has set, said the FairPrice Group on Sunday.
The group comprises four social enterprises – FairPrice, NTUC Foodfare, Kopitiam and NTUC Link.
This is the 15th year that the group has run the community outreach programme.
The group’s charity arm FairPrice Foundation will also contribute $40,000 to Malay/Muslim self-help group Yayasan Mendaki to provide academic support for children from low-income families.
In a speech at FairPrice’s Hari Raya Do Good Activity at its outlet at Our Tampines Hub, chief procurement officer Tng Ah Yiam said: “This donation will be used towards helping students defray costs in their educational pursuits, such as paying for school fees, transportation and purchase of school textbooks, assessment books and stationery.
“This is the 10th year we have donated to this cause and have, to date, contributed over $400,000 to support students.”
The event on Sunday was attended by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, who helped to distribute festive bags filled with essentials such as rice, oil and cereal to beneficiaries from Yayasan Mendaki.
He is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and an MP for Tampines GRC.
The practice of giving out iftar packs at FairPrice outlets to customers started in 2009 when staff noticed that there were customers who were not able to get home in time for iftar due to work commitments.
Mr Tng said: “Hence, the idea was conceived to provide customers, who had been fasting for the whole day, with dates and drinks so that they may have something to eat first while on the go as they head home or back to work to break fast.”
The full list of FairPrice stores offering free beverages with dates or snacks over Ramadan can be viewed here.
To cater to the needs of the Muslim community, FairPrice has expanded its halal-certified products to 9,500 in 2023. This marks a more than 21 per cent increase from 2022. The house-brand and imported items include medjool dates, baby pearl brinjal, ready-to-cook satay, beef rendang, as well as pre-mix pastes and sauces.
