January 30, 2020, 07:47 PM
[Update at Jan. 30, 2020, 11:14pm] We discovered that the masks have since increased in price when we visited the outlet at around 8:15pm today:
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A handful of people in Singapore have been reselling surgical masks at rather extreme marked up prices.
But it seems that not all hope is lost.
Queues outside Valu$
According to a tip-off by a Mothership reader, Jurong Point's Valu$ had a long snaking queue today.
The queue extended all the way to the mall's Japanese Food Street, which is about three to four stores away.
Photo from Roy Teo
Photo from Roy Teo.
The reason behind the queue? Surgical masks.
According to Teo, these people began queueing even before the stocks arrived.
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Surgical masks for S$9.90
The discount store has apparently stocked up on boxes of surgical masks.
Photo from Roy Teo
Manufactured in Indonesia, each box of 50 masks retails for S$9.90.
Photo from BobcatSysOp YKChan on Facebook
A box of 50 surgical masks at Watsons typically goes for S$12.
According to the packaging, it is marketed to be "reduce exposure to polluted air, reduce risk of spreading diseases, prevent makeup from dirt and dust":
Photo from Mothership reader.
S$1 N95 mask
Apart from surgical masks, Valu$ also appears to have N95 masks at S$1 per piece.
Photo from BobcatSysOp YKChan on Facebook
A box of 20 N95 masks costs S$38 at FairPrice, which is about S$1.90 per piece.
Do note, however, that the masks sold at Valu$ and the major retail pharmacies in Singapore are from different manufacturers.
Top image from Roy Teo & BobcatSysOp YKChan on Facebook.
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