Singapore is running short of essential goods items with the government supermarket NTUC imposing purchase limits.
The Singapore government issued the notice this morning after Singapore residents, both foreigners and Singaporeans, stock up on non-perishable items like rice, instant noodles and tissue paper:
“Each customer will be allowed to buy only up to four packs of paper products such as toilet paper and tissue paper, two bags of rice and four pillow packets of instant noodles. Each person can also buy up to $50 worth of vegetables.”
PAP part-time MP and NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng claimed the shortage is temporary and that the empty shelves are just in the midst of replenishment:
“The limits had been imposed to allow the supply chain to catch up on its deliveries to the stores. We had doubled our runs but it is still not enough as the volume of products handled over the last two days are more the peak days of Chinese New Year. My supply chain and whole team are working non stop to try to catch up on deliveries to all our stores.”
The PAP MP denied that he imposed the purchase limit because of shortage:
“For example, a 20kg pack of rice can last a family of four up to two months. As for toilet paper, 40 rolls can last us quite a while. So these limits are set to ensure no one can buy up huge quantities and hoard and deprive others as a result. The limits are imposed not because we do not have enough stocks.”
Minister Chan Chun Sing claimed that there is enough stock, but the former army general also earlier lied about having enough stock for face masks.