S$100 FairPrice kit for babies born between 2016 and 2019

SINGAPORE — Parents of Singaporean babies born between January last year and December 2019 can receive S$100 worth of groceries and baby products from NTUC FairPrice, in an initiative that will cost the supermarket giant S$14 million over four years.

The FairPrice FairMily kit, which includes diapers, rice and Danone Nutricia’s Aptamil milk powder, a range the supermarket brought in last year, is estimated to benefit some 35,000 babies each year.

Parents can sign up at www.ntucgoodstart.sg. They will receive a card by mail, which they can take to 16 FairPrice outlets across the island, such as at Bedok Mall, NEX and Jurong Point shopping centres, to collect their gift.

The collection, however, can only be done after the baby turns six months old.

The kit is part of the NTUC Good Start Bundle launched last month, which includes complimentary one-year health insurance coverage for newborns under NTUC Income, with other perks to be rolled out throughout the year.

Announcing the latest initiative at FairPrice’s annual walkathon on Sunday (May 21), chief executive officer Seah Kian Peng said his organisation recognises that milk powder prices have been increasing and it wants to help parents alleviate some of these costs.

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, who was at the event, told reporters: “(We) will want to help our NTUC members and also the wider Singaporean public stretch every dollar they earn.” 

The kit’s contents are subject to change over time. For a start, it contains products for babies such as wipes and lotion, and groceries such as tissue and oats.

“(The kit) will help a lot because milk powder and pampers are now expensive,” said Ms Vian Tee, 33, who has an 18-week-old daughter.

Her husband He Tian Kun, 31, added: “It’s just a start, but (at least) we can try out different products.” The couple, who were participating in the walkathon, spend S$115 on milk powder each month.

FairPrice also announced on Sunday that it will be bringing in “better-value” milk powder in a month’s time. Currently, over 150 varieties of milk powder, ranging from S$22 to S$97 per kilogramme, are stocked on shelves.

But following the Government’s review of import requirements to tackle the problem of rising milk powder prices, FairPrice has been in talks with the authorities and new overseas suppliers, including Australia, to import new products.

“These milk powder products will expand the supermarket’s extensive range of milk powder further to provide better value and a wider choice for consumers,” said FairPrice, which is also looking into offering a house brand as “part of the plan”.

“These are early stages. When plans are firm, we’ll be happy to share this with all,” said Mr Seah, who is also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade.

Regarding the move to bring in more milk powder brands, Mr Chan, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said: “This isn’t something that we’ve only done recently. 

“We saw this issue surfacing some time back, maybe one, two years ago, and quietly, behind the scenes, the NTUC FairPrice team has been working very hard around the world to see how we can bring in quality and affordable milk powder for Singaporeans.”

He added that efforts to share more information with parents must continue because they decide what milk powder is needed and suitable for their children.

Separately, the FairPrice Foundation on Sunday donated S$1.2 million worth of supermarket vouchers to an estimated 20,000 low-income families and individuals.