CASE president Melvin Yong said that he has been advocating for unit pricing since 2022 to help consumers easily compare prices of everyday essentials across different packaging sizes.
“I am encouraged that the government is now piloting unit pricing at major supermarkets, which will enhance price transparency for consumers,” he said.
“Countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have already reaped the benefits of this approach.”
He added that CASE has been offering unit pricing for more than 6,000 items on its Price Kaki app since 2023 and has received positive feedback, with the app having more than 170,000 downloads as of March this year.
“I hope to see unit pricing adopted by all major retailers in Singapore,” he said.
Earlier this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong said that he hopes that the “use of unit pricing will improve price transparency, help consumers make choices to stretch their dollar, and deter retailers from pricing gimmicks”.
Mr Gan also announced that the government has convened a consumer protection review panel to review key consumer concerns in Singapore and consider what more can be done.
“As industry practices change, and as consumer habits, patterns and preferences shift, it is timely for us to undertake a more fundamental review of our consumer protection regime,” he added.
The panel comprises academics, legal representatives and relevant industry leaders and is chaired by Mr Yong and former judicial commissioner Foo Tuat Yien.
“The panel will consult with key industry stakeholders, study international trends and best practices, and develop recommendations to drive consumer empowerment, raise industry standards, and strengthen regulatory levers where appropriate to our local context,” Mr Gan said.
