SINGAPORE – Shoppers can now compare prices of supermarket items by unit on mobile app Price Kaki starting Jan 1.
It will display the prices of more than 1,200 foods, drinks and household products per 100g or 100ml, said the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) on Sunday.
The items will come from four of the most commonly searched product categories on Price Kaki.
They are:
– Fresh milk and UHT milk (for example, soya bean drinks, coconut cream)
– Oils, sauces and condiments (such as cooking oil, oyster sauce, maple syrup)
– Packet and canned drinks (like isotonic options, juices)
– Household products (such as laundry detergents, bleaches, shampoos)
Unit pricing on Price Kaki will increase the price transparency of daily essentials and help consumers choose value-for-money products amid higher inflation, said Case president Melvin Yong on Sunday. He had announced the new feature in early December.
“In addition, with rising business costs, some food manufacturers may maintain prices but reduce the quantity of products,” he added.
“By showing unit pricing on Price Kaki, consumers can easily find out if they are paying more for less, and look for alternatives which are better value for money,” noted Mr Yong.
“Consumers are understandably worried about the rising cost of living as higher food and grocery prices, coupled with the GST hike, can add to their households’ monthly expenses.”
Case aims to expand unit pricing to more than 6,000 items that are sold or packed in kilogram and litre measurements on Price Kaki by the third quarter of 2023.
The Price Kaki app, which was launched by Case in September 2019, currently covers over 10,000 products, including groceries and household essentials sold at supermarkets, and more than 31,000 cooked items offered at food courts, hawker centres and coffee shops.
Mr Yong noted that in the past year, Case has seen more consumers switching to house brands which are usually between 10 per cent and 25 per cent cheaper than similar branded products.
