NTUC members to get 10% discount at Kopitiam, in move to curb inflation and drive FairPrice app usage

SINGAPORE — By the end of 2022, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) members can expect to save up to 10 per cent on their meals at all Kopitiam outlets islandwide, if they use the NTUC FairPrice mobile application to pay for their food or drink, the labour movement announced on Friday (April 29). 

The discount is similar to what Kopitiam customers presently receive if they pay using their Kopitiam cards, and with this announcement, those who want to enjoy similar discounts can also do so using the FairPrice app.

Using the app, there is no need to preload it with any value and customers can pay using their debit or credit card within the app. The offer is also available to NTUC Link members.

Speaking to reporters at a media briefing, NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said that the move was one of the ways NTUC is helping its members cope with rising living costs. 

"I hope that this 10 per cent (savings) will bring some relief to the cost of living pressures not only in our supermarkets but now in the cooked food sector as well," he said. 

NTUC said in its statement that the initiative will benefit 2.4 million of its members by helping them cope with inflationary pressures.

Mr Ng added that it will also drive usage of the FairPrice application. 

Overall, NTUC estimated that its members will be able to save around S$1 million at Kopitiam outlets with the discount, though it did not specify over what period of time.

HOW IT WORKS

With the deal, NTUC members can save 10 per cent at all stalls in all 46 Kopitiam food courts by the end of 2022. For all 80 Kopitiam outlets, which include both food courts and coffee shops, the 10 per cent savings will apply to all drink kiosks.

At the moment, members can enjoy the discounts at two Kopitiam food courts which had begun piloting this initiative — Kopitiam Food Hall at Jurong Point and Cantine by Kopitiam at Northshore Plaza II. 

Presently, diners who use a Kopitiam card to pay for their meals can also enjoy a 10 per cent discount on purchases at Kopitiam outlets. However, they can only use one mode of payment in any one transaction and will thus not be able to stack their savings.

NTUC had acquired the home-grown food centre operator in 2018. 

The move was part of NTUC’s “social mission” to ensure that cooked food remains affordable and accessible to the Singapore community, the labour movement said at that time. 

Mr Ng said that in the longer term, half of the cash savings from the 10 per cent discount will eventually be given to customers in NTUC Linkpoints — the labour movement's rewards accrual programme.

These points can be used later on when shopping at all FairPrice supermarkets, for example.

Explaining this move, Mr Ng said that it is NTUC's "business model" to help Singaporeans save while encouraging more to purchase items at FairPrice supermarkets. He did not give a timeline of when the conversion will occur. 

"Basically, if I extend savings to you, 50 per cent (of the savings go) straight back to you, (the other) 50 per cent I would like you to spend at FairPrice (supermarkets)," said Mr Ng. 

Other than this initiative, Mr Ng shared that there are "all kinds of discounts" at FairPrice supermarkets, such as the five per cent discount on 100 staple items every Friday that began last month, as well as a 55 cent discount on its house-branded eggs last week. 

He added that the savings will also attract more to use the application to pay for food, which is a way to "drive digitalisation". 

"NTUC is modernising ourselves, we are moving full steam ahead in improving our digital capabilities," he said. "That explains partly why we are moving customers to pay by the FairPrice app."

CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of the article stated that there were a total of 126 Kopitiam outlets in Singapore, according to NTUC. NTUC has since clarified that there are 80 Kopitiam outlets in total.