FairPrice clarifies why chicken costs S$72.27: It's organic kampung chicken

Not all chickens are the same.

Belmont Lay | June 03, 2022, 03:24 AM

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FairPrice supermarket issued a clarification regarding a photo circulated among people in Singapore showing a S$72.27 price label for chickens from Malaysia, which caused a stir online due to its seemingly high costs.

The June 2 post by FairPrice said the label was in fact for an organic kampung chicken sold at one of FairPrice’s concessionaire counters run by Swiss Butchery.

The post implied that this pricing was for a particular type of chicken produce that did not represent the typical pricing of FairPrice's other chicken produce.

Moreover, the price was for two chickens and not one, FairPrice added.

FairPrice wrote:

We are aware of a photograph being shared of a price label for "SB Whole Chicken" affixed on Swiss Butchery-branded packaging.

The image of the product label is of an organic kampung chicken sold at one of our concessionaire counters operated by Swiss Butchery. This product is priced at $22.50/kg (per the label's packed date on 31 May 2022), and the product label also showed the product weight of over 3kg as 2 whole birds were packed together, weighed and priced under the same label.

We hope this helps to dispel any possible misunderstanding this image may have caused.

The photo of the price label gained traction as it was shared online after Malaysia announced it will ban the export of chicken to Singapore, which would likely lead to higher prices.

Responses

The post by FairPrice attracted a myriad of responses, as well as sighs of relief from consumers and poultry buyers.

Some of the responses suggested that consumers were generally enlightened by FairPrice's explanation, while others continued to pass snarky remarks saying that S$22.50 per kg for chicken was too expensive, regardless of its grade.

However, others who responded appeared to have their curiosities piqued by the product.

One commenter wrote: "This chicken has the taste of wagyu beef. Must try."

Other chicken sold comparatively cheaper

According to FairPrice's website, other brands of chicken sold at the supermarket chain are priced considerably cheaper than "SB Whole Chicken".

For example, Kee Song fresh whole chicken is sold at S$8 per kg or about S$11 per bird, while Aw’s Market 1kg fresh whole chicken is sold at S$15.95.

Top photos via Facebook & panjangkee.com