- Joined
- Jan 23, 2010
- Messages
- 1,746
- Points
- 0
Feb 8, 2011
Price hikes at some stalls stay after CNY
Owners cite rising costs as main reason; experts expect more increases
By Jessica Lim
At the Old Airport Road hawker centre, Western food stall International Cuisine is charging up to $1 more for its main course items. A plate of battered prawns, for instance, now costs $7, up from $6. At a neighbouring stall, popiah costs 10 cents more a roll. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
THE lucrative Chinese New Year period may be over for hawker stalls here, but some are sticking to the price hikes they introduced during the festive season.
The stalls, selling everything from steamed fish head and popiah to Western fare and drinks, are a minority. But experts say their actions could spark a new round of price increases.
A Straits Times check of 206 stalls at 14 food centres yesterday found that 15 have raised their prices permanently.
At the Old Airport Road hawker centre, main courses at Western food stall International Cuisine now cost up to $1 more. A plate of battered prawns, for instance, now costs $7, up from $6.
Its owner Gene Lee, 50, who raised prices on Thursday, said: 'The cost of ingredients has gone up. Even prices of takeaway containers have increased.'
A neighbouring stall now sells popiah at $1.30 per roll, up from $1.20 two days ago. This price will stay as long as the cost of turnips remains high, said the stall's 52-year-old owner, who wants to be known only as Madam Chen.
Over at Ting & Ting Food Court, a small coffee shop in Jurong West, a zi char stall raised the prices of its rice and noodle dishes two days ago. A plate of fried rice now costs $3.50, up from $3.
At the Chinatown Complex hawker centre, Huan Xi Canton Cuisine increased the price of its fish head dishes from $13 to $15 on Friday.
Even owners of non-Chinese food stalls are seizing the opportunity to raise prices permanently.
The Green Leaf, a nasi lemak stall at Maxwell Road hawker centre, increased the price of its lontong from $2.50 to $2.70 yesterday. Next door, SMH Hot & Cold Drinks increased the prices of its hot drinks by 10 cents on Feb 3.
'I've been holding prices for so long and decided to increase during Chinese New Year,' said its manager Mohamad Deen, 33. 'Other stalls increase prices too, so customers are more accepting, and it's not so shocking and sudden.'
Typically, eateries charge a premium on the first two days of Chinese New Year. The hike, which sometimes lasts until the fourth day, is due to higher wages paid during the public holiday.
Hawkers, long squeezed by the rising cost of ingredients, are biting the bullet and finally increasing prices this Chinese New Year, said experts, who expect to see more price increases on the horizon.
'Stall owners leverage on the mentality of consumers during Chinese New Year when they are more willing to pay and are expecting prices to be higher anyway,' said Mr Andrew Lee, marketing and retail lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's business school.
'Hawker centres are tight-knit communities and if one stall sells something cheaper than the others, there is tension. Once a few start to increase prices permanently, more will feel they can do it too.'
Global food prices - for a wide range of items from sugar and chillies to soya beans and wheat - are soaring, as bad weather hit crop supplies and demand from emerging economies grows.
Madam Oh Guat Keng, 47, who owns Yi Fa Kway Chap at the Old Airport Road hawker centre, said she now pays $7.40 for a kilogram of noodles, up from $6.60 before Chinese New Year.
Customers like Madam Wong Kway Yok, 65, who paid 10 cents more for popiah at the Old Airport Road hawker centre yesterday, are philosophical. 'There is no choice, everything now costs more,' she said in Mandarin.
Others don't look at it that way.
Housewife Chua Chew Hong, 48, said it was normal for prices to rise during Chinese New Year. 'But to maintain prices after that is not very fair,' she said.
[email protected]
Additional reporting by Goh Kai Shi and Neo Wen Tong
'Hawker centres are tight-knit communities and if one stall sells something cheaper than the others, there is tension. Once a few start to increase prices permanently, more will feel they can do it too.'
Singapore Polytechnic marketing and retail lecturer Andrew Lee
Price hikes at some stalls stay after CNY
Owners cite rising costs as main reason; experts expect more increases
By Jessica Lim
At the Old Airport Road hawker centre, Western food stall International Cuisine is charging up to $1 more for its main course items. A plate of battered prawns, for instance, now costs $7, up from $6. At a neighbouring stall, popiah costs 10 cents more a roll. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
THE lucrative Chinese New Year period may be over for hawker stalls here, but some are sticking to the price hikes they introduced during the festive season.
The stalls, selling everything from steamed fish head and popiah to Western fare and drinks, are a minority. But experts say their actions could spark a new round of price increases.
A Straits Times check of 206 stalls at 14 food centres yesterday found that 15 have raised their prices permanently.
At the Old Airport Road hawker centre, main courses at Western food stall International Cuisine now cost up to $1 more. A plate of battered prawns, for instance, now costs $7, up from $6.
Its owner Gene Lee, 50, who raised prices on Thursday, said: 'The cost of ingredients has gone up. Even prices of takeaway containers have increased.'
A neighbouring stall now sells popiah at $1.30 per roll, up from $1.20 two days ago. This price will stay as long as the cost of turnips remains high, said the stall's 52-year-old owner, who wants to be known only as Madam Chen.
Over at Ting & Ting Food Court, a small coffee shop in Jurong West, a zi char stall raised the prices of its rice and noodle dishes two days ago. A plate of fried rice now costs $3.50, up from $3.
At the Chinatown Complex hawker centre, Huan Xi Canton Cuisine increased the price of its fish head dishes from $13 to $15 on Friday.
Even owners of non-Chinese food stalls are seizing the opportunity to raise prices permanently.
The Green Leaf, a nasi lemak stall at Maxwell Road hawker centre, increased the price of its lontong from $2.50 to $2.70 yesterday. Next door, SMH Hot & Cold Drinks increased the prices of its hot drinks by 10 cents on Feb 3.
'I've been holding prices for so long and decided to increase during Chinese New Year,' said its manager Mohamad Deen, 33. 'Other stalls increase prices too, so customers are more accepting, and it's not so shocking and sudden.'
Typically, eateries charge a premium on the first two days of Chinese New Year. The hike, which sometimes lasts until the fourth day, is due to higher wages paid during the public holiday.
Hawkers, long squeezed by the rising cost of ingredients, are biting the bullet and finally increasing prices this Chinese New Year, said experts, who expect to see more price increases on the horizon.
'Stall owners leverage on the mentality of consumers during Chinese New Year when they are more willing to pay and are expecting prices to be higher anyway,' said Mr Andrew Lee, marketing and retail lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's business school.
'Hawker centres are tight-knit communities and if one stall sells something cheaper than the others, there is tension. Once a few start to increase prices permanently, more will feel they can do it too.'
Global food prices - for a wide range of items from sugar and chillies to soya beans and wheat - are soaring, as bad weather hit crop supplies and demand from emerging economies grows.
Madam Oh Guat Keng, 47, who owns Yi Fa Kway Chap at the Old Airport Road hawker centre, said she now pays $7.40 for a kilogram of noodles, up from $6.60 before Chinese New Year.
Customers like Madam Wong Kway Yok, 65, who paid 10 cents more for popiah at the Old Airport Road hawker centre yesterday, are philosophical. 'There is no choice, everything now costs more,' she said in Mandarin.
Others don't look at it that way.
Housewife Chua Chew Hong, 48, said it was normal for prices to rise during Chinese New Year. 'But to maintain prices after that is not very fair,' she said.
[email protected]
Additional reporting by Goh Kai Shi and Neo Wen Tong
'Hawker centres are tight-knit communities and if one stall sells something cheaper than the others, there is tension. Once a few start to increase prices permanently, more will feel they can do it too.'
Singapore Polytechnic marketing and retail lecturer Andrew Lee
