SINGAPORE (Feb 10): Amid the panic buying at supermarkets throughout the country, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has called on Singaporeans to keep calm and stay vigilant.
This comes after the Ministry of Health (MOH) raised the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) alert level to “Orange” on Feb 7.
“We are monitoring the situation closely and retailers such as NTUC, Cold Storage and Sheng Siong have assured the public that there are sufficient stocks,” says Teo S. S., chairman of SBF in a statement today.
“They are working swiftly to restock their stores while working with partners to ensure continued supply,” he adds.
SBF assures that stocks are available in the warehouse and that there is no need to rush to stock up on essential supplies.
It notes that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing have assured that there is no risk of Singapore running a shortage of essential household items.
This is addition to the statements of various retailers, e-commerce sites and household brands, which have indicated sufficient supplies within their warehouses.
They include NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Lazada Singapore, Kimberly-Clark and the Southeast Asia Food division of Dairy Farm Group, which owns Giant, Cold Storage, Jasons Deli and Marketplace supermarkets.
Still, consumers need to play their part too, says SBF, as a sudden surge in demand increases pressure on supply chains and may add to distribution costs.
The business chamber urges Singapore consumers to remain vigilant but calm, and only buy what they need.
It also reminds merchants and retailers not to take advantage of the increased demand to raise prices.
“In a time like this, we should look out for and help one another. Together, we can overcome this obstacle,” says Teo.
