PUBLISHED ONDecember 22, 2022 5:05 AMByClaudia Tan[Update Dec 23] In response to AsiaOne's queries, Canopy Hawkers Group said that there would be no change to the 30-cent cap on takeaway packaging, but the group will be subsidising the extra costs of takeaway packaging as an interim measure while "sourcing for competitive alternatives".
"For instance, if the cost price of [takeaway] packaging for a stall holder is $0.50 and he had earlier charged patrons $0.50, Canopy Hawkers Group will subsidise the stall holder $0.20," explained Joey Tan, managing director of Canopy Hawkers Group.
They added that patrons are still encouraged to bring their own reusable containers when making takeaway orders.
Since its opening just five days ago, there has been much ado over the new Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, particularly over the cost of the stalls' takeaway containers there.
On Monday, it was reported that a customer allegedly walked away from a Korean stall at that hawker centre upon hearing that they charged 80 cents for takeaway containers.
As part of the hawker centre's green initiatives, all stallholders are required to use environmentally-friendly takeaway packaging.
Responding to customers' gripes, Canopy Hawkers' Group, which manages Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, told AsiaOne then that all takeaway packaging at the hawker centre will now cost "no more than 30 cents".
However, that 30-cent cap has seemingly hurt the bottom lines of some hawkers there, with some of them having to absorb part of the cost of the takeaway containers.
Speaking to reporters from Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday, the owner of the Korean stall, surnamed Wu, explained that one set of eco-friendly packaging costs him about 50 cents.
With the prevailing GST, eco-friendly utensils and plastic bags, the total cost for a takeaway order comes up to almost a dollar, he reckoned.
Wu said that he was initially charging customers 80 cents for a takeaway order but is now forced to absorb even more of the cost due to the new rule — which leads to a loss of almost $100 a day, working out to some $3,000 a month.
"The management said they'd be in touch with us, to see if they have better solutions to tackle the issue," said Wu.
Wu isn't the only stall owner that's feeling the pinch.
Liu, the owner of a Japanese rice bowl stall, says that the eco-friendly takeaway packaging costs her 60 cents a set, reported the Chinese daily.
She was originally charging customers 50 cents prior to the price cap. But now, she has to adjust her takeaway charge to 30 cents, subsiding half of the cost.
Sharing her woes with the Chinese daily, Liu said: "It's not easy to find eco-friendly packaging. The management has given us a list of suppliers, and I'm trying to look for one that offers [takeaway packaging] at a cheaper price.
"Currently [my supplier] has lowered the price because I ordered in bulk. It would have been more costly if I ordered lesser."
Besides mandating the use of takeaway packaging, the Canopy Hawkers' Group is also encouraging customers who do takeaway orders to bring their own reusable containers.
Additionally, disposable crockery and utensils will not be served to customers who dine-in at the hawker centre.
The group previously told AsiaOne then that it aims to make Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre a green hawker centre through green practices.
"For example, we reduce the use of disposables and work with all our stallholders to ensure that disposable crockery and utensils will not be served for patrons who dine-in at the hawker centre," added Tan.
"For patrons who do takeaway orders, we will encourage them to bring their own reusable containers."
AsiaOne has contacted the group for further comment.
claudiatan@asiaone.com