Mobile app for comparing grocery prices at supermarkets launched nationwide

Mobile app for comparing grocery prices at supermarkets launched nationwide
Currently, more than 4,000 grocery items from 278 supermarkets are on the app.
PHOTO: The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Shoppers will be able to compare grocery prices at different supermarkets from the comfort of their home during the country's safe reopening phase with the nationwide launch of mobile app Price Kaki.

More products and supermarkets across Singapore have been included in the app following its pilot phase last September.

It will be more convenient for shoppers here to find the best deals near them without having to visit multiple physical stores.

Currently, more than 4,000 grocery items from 278 supermarkets are on the app, covering most daily necessities such as eggs, milk and rice.

Pricing information is provided by major supermarket players such as NTUC FairPrice, Giant, Prime Supermarket and Sheng Siong, said the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) - which developed the app - in a media statement announcing the nationwide roll-out on Friday (June 26).

Case said that it would work with the supermarkets to ensure that the information provided is up to date, but if shoppers in stores spot certain item promotions that are not listed on the app, they can also submit updated price information on their own.

The nationwide roll-out of the app comes after it was first piloted in Jurong West, Toa Payoh and Tampines, when only 31 supermarkets had been listed.

According to the media statement, Price Kaki was developed "in line with Case's efforts to educate consumers on their rights to choose and make informed purchasing decisions".

Besides getting an overview of prices at different stores, users also have the option to be alerted to price changes.

They can also check the prices of cooked food dishes at 94 hawker centres in Singapore in order to find, for instance, the cheapest carrot cake dish available in the neighbourhood.

More hawker centres will be progressively listed on the app.

Price Kaki was first mentioned by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Industry Tan Wu Meng during the debate on his ministry's budget in March last year. At Case's fund-raising lunch last September, he said that the app empowers consumers to share and more easily access price information.

"It is like a network of 'kakis' (friends) sharing tips on shopping and exchanging knowledge on the best deals," he said then.

Mr Melvin Yong, Vice-President of Case, told The Straits Times: "With Price Kaki, consumers can compare prices before they even step out of their homes. With more people cooking at home and shopping for groceries during this period, it will be even more useful for consumers to seek out the best prices for their daily necessities and stretch their hard-earned dollar."   

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

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