Sellers of hawker food in Singapore are feeling the pinch of rising costs as inflation pressure remained, reports China’s news agency Xinhua quoting local daily The Straits Times on Monday.
A check by the newspaper with 34 hawkers showed that 20 would not pledge to hold the prices constant over the coming six months, it said.
The hawkers had pledged to keep their prices put for six months, a pledge that is about to expire in September or October.
They are among 1,300 hawkers who took part in a scheme launched by the government to combat inflation.
The Food Junction chain of eateries and a food centre in southeastern Singapore said they are likely to raise prices in the coming six months as costs rise.
Tong Juat Hiang, who sells porridge at a local food centre, said the prices of fish have risen.
The other 14 hawkers said they would keep their prices constant because they are afraid of losing customers if they jack prices up or believed that they could afford to keep the prices constant based on their calculations.
Consumer price index inflation moderated in May but clawed back to its recent peak of 5.4 per cent in July. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has said that consumer price inflation may stay above 5 per cent over the next few months on account of continued strong increases in accommodation costs.
– Bernama
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