NTUC FairPrice to open 6 more budget no-frills stores in mature estates

SINGAPORE – Six more basic, no-frills stores under the budget NTUC FairPrice Shop brand is slated to be rolled out in more mature estates by this year, the Republic’s biggest supermarket operator said in a statement on Wednesday (March 22).

FairPrice did not give locations of the six new stores, but said they will be in mature estates to cater to budget-conscious shoppers. The six existing stores are currently located at Circuit Road, Eunos Crescent, Henderson Crescent, Jurong East, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 and Silat Avenue.

The new format stores were launched last July as smaller outlets offering a more affordable range of goods. They carry an exclusive housebrand range called Value Fresh, which includes 30 kinds of fresh vegetables that are priced 5 to 10 per cent lower than the existing FairPrice housebrand range called Pasar, and also offer a range of greater-value essentials, which comprise about half the product mix available.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, chief executive of NTUC FairPrice said that the FairPrice Shop format was introduced as “a basic, no-frills supermarket that is conveniently accessible to serve the needs of budget-conscious shoppers”.

He added: “This is one of the ways FairPrice serves its role as a social enterprise by ensuring that essentials remain affordable to help address issues on the rising cost of living.”

Residents served by existing stores welcome the budget offerings.

For example, long-time customer Ng Koon Yong, 72, who lives across a FairPrice Shop in Eunos Crescent, said:  “After they renovated and changed it to FairPrice Shop, they started carrying a wider variety of their own FairPrice branded products… I was quite surprised by the quality even though they are cheaper than the usual brands… It is good that they continue to ensure groceries remain affordable.”

FairPrice Shop is the latest addition to the supermarket chain’s stable of retail models for different market segments, including FairPrice Finest with a premium product selection, and FairPrice Xtra hypermarts that offer electronic goods, groceries, and general merchandise.