FairPrice supermarkets to freeze prices of 100 essential products for more than a month

SINGAPORE: Singapore's largest supermarket chain FairPrice will freeze the prices of 100 everyday essentials from Apr 9 to May 31 to keep groceries affordable for consumers. 

Customers can look for the Price Freeze label in-store or online, NTUC FairPrice said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Apr 8). 

The list of items includes certain poultry, fruits and vegetable products as well as specified baby diapers and laundry detergent. 

Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cardholders will also enjoy "double savings" until May 29, added NTUC FairPrice. This will bring discounts up to 6 per cent for CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders on Thursdays and Fridays, respectively. 

According to FairPrice Group, more than nine in 10 CHAS Blue and Orange customers purchase products from this basket of 100 essentials.

"This price freeze is part of FairPrice Group's wider commitment to keep daily essentials within reach for all, amidst the growing impact of economic and geopolitical volatility on Singaporeans’ daily lives," it said in a media release.

FairPrice started as a single co-operative supermarket to keep staples affordable during the 1970s oil crisis. 

Its Group CEO, Vipul Chawla, said the latest initiative is rooted in this core purpose.

He noted that food and groceries make up over 20 per cent of the average household budget, and even more for lower-income families. 

"Through our price freeze and doubled weekly CHAS discounts, we are stepping up to help Singaporean households navigate these uncertain times," Mr Chawla said.

"Our mission is to keep meals nutritious and healthy, regardless of market volatility. We made a promise 50 years ago to stand by Singaporeans in times of need, and we’re keeping that promise today by doing everything we can to keep essentials within reach."

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said the social mission is clear, adding that no worker or family should face rising cost pressures alone.

"The doubling of discounts for CHAS Blue and Orange card holders means real savings for those who need it most," he said.

"The price freeze on 100 daily essentials is our way of saying - we hear you, and we’re doing our part to keep essentials within reach.”

Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam told parliament on Tuesday that the Middle East war will raise prices for Singapore's imported food products.

The country imports more than 90 per cent of its food, according to information dated December 2025 from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

"Natural gas is a key feedstock for fertilisers. With disruptions to gas supply, fertiliser prices will go up," said Mr Shanmugam. 

"Food crops and animal feed will therefore cost more, and the prices of our imported food products will rise. As fuel costs go up, it will also cost more to transport and store food products," he added. 

Singapore has sufficient buffers and contingency plans in place, and these arrangements are regularly reviewed and strengthened to ensure they are robust, said Mr Shanmugam, who chairs the ministerial committee convened to respond to the war.

Singapore's strategic food stockpiles will help mitigate the impact of any unforeseen supply disruptions, he said. 

However, he advised Singaporeans to be prepared for some imported food supplies to be unavailable, as only essential food types are part of the national stockpiles.