Where values meet value

To most, it is a supermarket. But conversations with consumers uncover a deeper significance behind FairPrice Group, a retailer with a mission to keep daily essentials affordable.

- GENEVIEVE CHAN

As we mark SG60, here's a look at how FairPrice Group is helping families save, reimagining food support and promoting a healthier future.

Every dollar counts in Madam Zeng Jindi's household.

She and her husband are raising three daughters aged between 10 and 14 on just $1,800 a month. It's a fraction of Singapore's median household income of $11,297 in 2024.

Despite the tight constraints, she finds ways to make it work. She scrimps, saves and sets aside what little she can for her daughters' small joys: A new set of stationery, or an occasional fast-food treat.

To her, affordable essentials offer more than just relief - they are a lifeline.

Beyond financial assistance from government agencies, FairPrice products play a central role in her family's well-being, she says. "I cook almost every meal.

We rarely eat out. When I buy groceries, I look at the cost and nutrition. Is it affordable? Is it healthy?" Madam Zeng, 39, started work as an assistant to pre-school teachers in January - her first job in 14 years. The part-time, half-day role suits her schedule.

"I can return home in the afternoon and prepare lunch when they return from school," she says in Mandarin. Her husband, 53, works part-time as a taxi usher in the afternoons. Each meal follows a simple formula: At least one type of meat or fish, and one vegetable dish.

Hers is just one example of how FairPrice Group is helping families like her get by. Beyond providing affordable groceries, the home-grown institution has also had a positive impact on our community, and our nutritional posterity.

Helping consumers stretch their dollar

To make every cent count, Madam Zeng relies on FairPrice house-brand products, which typically cost 10 to 15 per cent less than branded alternatives.