Hawker prices on the rise, finds Case survey

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Apr 18, 2013
Hawker prices on the rise, finds Case survey
Two out of five of S'pore's favourite dishes costlier by about a sixth

By Jessica Lim Consumer Correspondent

THE prices of some hawker favourites have gone up, a survey revealed yesterday, with many a bowl of fishball noodles or a plate of vegetable rice starting off at $3 instead of $2.50.

Many hawkers were charging about a sixth more for two out of five of Singapore's most well-known dishes last year, according to research by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) - and other meals look set to follow suit.

Researchers visited 541 non-air-conditioned eateries to check the prices of chicken nasi briyani, chicken rice, plain roti prata, fishball noodles and mixed vegetable rice (a plate of rice with two portions of vegetables and one of meat).

The mode price - the price most commonly charged - for fishball noodles was $3, up from $2.50 in 2011, while vegetable rice went up from $2.50 in 2011 to $2.90 last year.

Mode prices for chicken nasi briyani ($4.50), chicken rice ($2.50) and plain roti prata (80 cents) remained the same, though the report noted that there were signs of an upward trend.

Out of the 159 chicken rice stalls surveyed, only 47 per cent sold the ubiquitous dish at $2.50 last year, down from 60 per cent in 2011. The highest price went up from $4 to $4.50.

The majority of stalls were transparent about their prices. There are about 2,500 non-air-conditioned eateries around Singapore.

The consumer watchdog carried out the survey with the help of 30 mystery diners - final-year students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Case executive director Seah Seng Choon said the aim was to point consumers to cheaper options and spur hawkers to keep their prices competitive.

It did not, however, take food quality into account.

Mr Seah also pointed out that food prices are "still reasonable", with the study giving examples of bargain meals still available.

For instance, a bowl of fishball noodles at Yan Kee Noodle House at Maxwell Food Centre goes for $2, while A-A Chicken Rice in Jurong charges just $1.50.

Varying rental costs, customer demand, competition, location and rising ingredient costs were among factors cited for the price differences. Ms Sarah Lim, a senior retail lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, said: "If the area is full of well-heeled people and if there are no other food choices around, stalls can mark up prices. It all boils down to demand. If people still buy with high prices, then why not?"

A recent move by the Government to curb rising hawker-stall rents may take more time to trickle down to the rest of the market.

In April last year, minimum bid prices for hawker-centre stalls were scrapped, allowing applicants to get a stall for as little as a few dollars a month.

Mr Mark Lionel Tay of food and beverage consultancy Bar Smith said the aim is for new hawker stalls to charge less, forcing others to drop their prices too.

"This will take some time, if it happens at all. Rent is just one cost element. Everything else has been going up in price," he said.

Detailed findings of the survey will be posted on Case's website at www.case.org.sg

limjess@sph.com.sg

Hawker food is still affordable compared to the shopping mall food court and restaurants.

In some estates, where there is bigger proportion of elderly, it is cheaper. My mum in law goes to kallang bahru, she says coffee O 60cts for small cup, wanton noodle $2 still available :-)

The more mature estates tend to have tenants that are operating for a long time with their rent likely to be lower than the new towns or shopping malls.

Also, the elderly are less able to afford to splurge on food as they are mostly retired and spending a fair bit of their retirement savings on healthcare (such as diabetes/high blood medication).

However, the hawker centres and coffee shops that undergo renovation usually result in a higher price.

(19-04-2013, 11:35 AM)Contrarian Wrote: Hawker food is still affordable compared to the shopping mall food court and restaurants.

In some estates, where there is bigger proportion of elderly, it is cheaper. My mum in law goes to kallang bahru, she says coffee O 60cts for small cup, wanton noodle $2 still available :-)

Hi contrarian, did your mum in law mention which part of kallang bahru - i will be going to that area lately, haha i want to check out the cheap food. thanks in advance

old hawker food cost less because most of them bought their stall from the govt directly and cheaply, no need to pay rent at all. just water/electricity/maintenance.