SINGAPORE: Hawker meals across Singapore could soon become more expensive, as stallholders grapple with mounting cost pressures driven by higher ingredient prices, energy costs and fuel-related surcharges.
Some vendors have already raised prices by between 50 cents and S$1, while others say increases may be inevitable if current conditions persist. The squeeze has been intensified by global factors, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed operating expenses higher and cut into already thin profit margins.
CNA reported that at Singapore’s largest hawker centre, the Chinatown Complex Food Centre, more than 220 stallholders have been feeling the strain in recent weeks. According to the chairman of the Chinatown Complex Hawkers’ Association, Mr Cornelius Tan, operating costs have climbed by an additional 10 per cent over the past month.
Mr Tan told CNA that hawkers are being hit from multiple angles. Beyond rising ingredient costs, higher delivery fees driven by fuel surcharges are compounding the burden. As most hawkers rely on multiple suppliers for items such as poultry, vegetables and other essentials, the added charges can stack up quickly.
“With multiple deliveries each day, if every supplier imposes a fuel surcharge, the effect multiplies,” he told CNA, adding that hawkers are now paying more for the same quantity of raw materials than before.
The association has been asked to inform authorities if gas prices spike significantly, but many stallholders say the pressure is already acute. Some report profit declines of up to 20 per cent, leaving little room to absorb further increases without passing costs on to customers.
Similar challenges are being reported at Bedok Food Centre, where hawkers are also contending with reduced footfall. Several stalls there have seen daily takings fall by at least 20 per cent, compounding the impact of higher expenses.
While many Bedok vendors have so far resisted raising prices, the local hawkers’ association is calling for temporary relief measures. Its chairman, Hajjah Roziah Adon, told CNA that rental discounts could help businesses stay afloat during this difficult period.
Industry groups are also stepping in to ease the strain. The Federation of Merchants’ Associations of Singapore has been working with hawkers and suppliers to keep costs manageable, including expanding bulk purchasing efforts to secure better pricing.
In addition, hawkers are being encouraged to explore alternative revenue streams, such as building a stronger online presence and tapping into government funding schemes aimed at supporting grassroots initiatives and preserving hawker culture.
