Singapore supermarket chains launch promotions featuring government vouchers to support households

Some 1.38 million Singaporean households can claim S$500 (US$380) worth of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers from Thursday.

They can use half of the vouchers at over 24,000 participating heartland merchants and hawkers and the other half at about 400 outlets operated by eight supermarket chains across the city-state.

FairPrice, the city-state’s largest supermarket chain, announced on the same day that for every S$60 in CDC vouchers spent in a single transaction at any of its outlets, including FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra, shoppers will receive a S$6 return voucher, with a cap of 20 per transaction.

The promotion is available from June 11 to June 17. Return vouchers can be redeemed from the day after they are issued through July 31, with no minimum spending requirement.

Vipul Chawla, FairPrice’s group CEO, said the chain recognizes that daily expenses continue to be a major concern for families amid ongoing economic pressures.

“This latest wave of FairPrice Return Vouchers supplementing the government’s CDC Vouchers launch is our way of helping Singaporeans stretch their dollar even further, when and where it matters the most,” he said in the Thursday announcement.

FairPrice had earlier said it will freeze prices on more than 500 daily essentials from June to August to help ease cost-of-living pressures for Singaporeans, according to AsiaOne.

Singaporeans shop at the NTUC FairPrice Xtra at NEX Mall in Serangoon on March 26, 2020. Photo by NurPhoto via AFP

Giant and Cold Storage supermarkets, including CS Fresh and Jason’s Deli, are also giving out a S$6 return voucher to shoppers who spend at least S$60 in CDC vouchers in a single transaction, The Straits Times reported.

The vouchers will be issued through June 17 while stocks last, and can be used without a minimum spend from the day after issuance until June 25.

Prime and Sheng Siong supermarkets are allowing customers who spend at least S$20 in CDC vouchers in a single transaction to buy selected products at discounted prices. Prime’s promotion runs through June 18 while Sheng Siong’s lasts till July 6.

The latest tranche of CDC vouchers was originally due to be distributed next January under Singapore’s 2026 Budget but was brought forward to help households manage cost-of-living pressures stemming from the Middle East conflict, as announced by the Singapore government in April.

Launched in 2020 and expanded the following year, the vouchers were originally created to assist households facing higher living expenses while supporting businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. They have been distributed annually since then, with the latest payout marking the ninth tranche.

Eligible Singaporean adults are also set to receive a cash payout of S$400-600 in September under the Cost-of-Living Special Payment scheme.