Forum: Vouchers a good initiative but make them simpler to use
Mar 20, 2025
The Tampines SG60 Cares grocery vouchers initiative is well intentioned, but its execution leaves much to be desired, especially for the elderly and less tech-savvy residents.
As part of the initiative, households with Blue Chas cards will be offered $60 in Shopee credits for their groceries.
The residents were issued six coupon codes to be used for six separate grocery purchases.
But the complexity of the redemption process makes it more of a hassle than a help for the recipients.
The vouchers require the use of the Shopee app, which in turn requires installing the app and linking of payment methods. This poses a challenge for many elderly individuals who are not familiar with smartphones or digital platforms.
The fact that the vouchers cannot be stacked is also another critical issue. There is a minimum spend requirement for free shipping and, for many, the shipping cost ends up eating into the value of the voucher, which undermines its original intent of helping with groceries.
The minimum spend and shipping requirements seem to encourage additional spending, rather than providing an efficient means of assistance.
It’s clear that there is a gap between the intentions of the initiative and its execution. A better option would be a physical supermarket voucher that doesn’t require an app, internet access or shipping considerations.
This would remove unnecessary barriers for seniors and ensure that the support is delivered in the most straightforward manner possible to truly help those in need.
Irene Pang
