SINGAPORE: Sheng Siong and FairPrice customers paid more than S$ 2.44 million ( US$ 1.79 million ) for almost 49 million disposable bags in the latter half of 2023, data from the two supermarket chains showed.
Of this amount, more than S$ 2.26 million went to , social and environmental reasons.
In an effort to minimize the use of plastic bags and encourage disposal, Singapore mandated a disposable ship bag charge at supermarkets on July 3, 2023.
The move required retailer operators to disclose details about the number of luggage they issued, the carrier charge revenue it generated, and how the money was spent.
A report by Sheng Siong released on Friday showed that its users bought 15, 202, 129 disposable ship carriers between Jul 3, 2023, and Dec 31, 2023, paying a total of S$ 760, 106.45 for them.
Of the sum collected, S$ 703, 802.27 was donated to the President’s Challenge, a charity-funding program, while the remaining S$ 56.304.18 was paid to the state as income.
The FairPrice Group, however, in a statement released on Dec 20, said that FairPrice consumers bought 33, 630, 364 disposable sacks during the same time, paying a total of S$ 1, 681, 518.20 for them.
About S$ 1 million went to support FairPrice Foundation programs, in particular to those related , to improving social security, health and nutrition among vulnerable parties.
The state received a full of S$ 124, 556.90 in tax payments, while the rest of the money went to organizations that promote conservation, like the World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore.
Taken together, FairPrice and Sheng Siong stores collected a total of S$ 2, 260, 763.57 for social and environmental causes, their information showed.