A hawker stall in the Kovan 209 Market and Food Centre is charging for extra plastic bags, which has caused a small stir among patrons.
The stall, which sells herbal mutton soup and pig's organ soup, has put up a sign indicating that extra plastic bags that typically can fit one to two servings of food, will be chargeable at S$0.10 each.
Screenshot from 8World News.
The sign also urges customers that "everyone has a role to play in conserving the environment".
Stall hopes customers will use fewer plastic bags
The first plastic bag offered is free of charge, the stall owner told 8World News.
For takeaway containers, it is S$0.30 extra.
For extra disposable cutlery, it will also cost S$0.10 each.
The stall owner said: "It is not that we want to sell plastic bags. For one takeaway order, the customer might request for two or three plastic bags. We just hope they can use less to be more environmentally friendly. But the customers are wondering why hawkers are also charging for plastic bags."
Not all patrons supportive of extra plastic bag charge
Hawker centre patrons were divided.
One of those interviewed said it was understandable to charge and it was alright if customers are informed beforehand.
Another said it was an unwelcome change, but people would get used to the extra S$0.10 charge as time passes.
One particular patron, however, said it was unacceptable as the size of the plastic bag from the hawker is much smaller than those offered by supermarkets at the same S$0.10 charge.
Cost of plastic bags has gone up: Hawkers
However, other hawkers interviewed by 8World News shared that they noticed a trend where more patrons have been requesting for extra plastic bags.
One hawker shared that she had experiences whereby a customer constantly stopped by her stall and would take up to six plastic bags with one purchase.
The patron even helped themselves to the plastic bags.
She also pointed out that the cost of plastic bags has doubled for vendors, and encouraged customers to bring their own takeaway containers instead.
At present, only major supermarkets in Singapore are required to impose additional charges for plastic bags.
This has been implemented since July 3, 2023, with about two-thirds of local supermarket outlets, including NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage, Giant, Sheng Siong and Prime outlets, charging at least 5 cents extra for each disposable plastic bag.
Top screenshot from 8World News.