Hong Kong supermarkets raise prices as consumption vouchers are handed out by the government. It can’t be a coincidence, can it?
- As the Hong Kong government issues more consumption vouchers to stimulate spending, prices of goods in the city’s two dominant supermarket chains go up
- Why do they cynically take advantage of their customers, especially working-class families buying essentials? Simply because they can
I went to my local supermarket last week, a couple of days before the last round of the Hong Kong government’s consumption vouchers were due to be handed out. What did I notice?
Lo and behold, the prices for everything suddenly appear a little bit higher again. The frozen dumplings that have been on sale forever are now regular priced. The regular priced stuff all seem to be up a dollar or two. It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?
In general, shopping for food in Hong Kong is great. There’s a wonderful variety of options and outlets. You can get pretty much anything you have in mind. There is easy access to the best and most expensive imported ingredients from gourmet stores.
At the other end of the spectrum, you can get everyday goods quite cheaply or at least competitively priced at wet markets and a range of secondary retailers – including Kai Bo, Best Mart 360, DS Groceries and others.
But for convenience, we all end up in the two main chains. By nature of their dominance, it does feel like they can and do gouge us whenever they please. And what better time to rack up some extra profit than when the entire population gets an extra allowance?
This type of opportunistic pricing is perhaps to be expected in laissez-faire Hong Kong. It’s not unlike airlines jacking up fares during public holiday weekends or flower shops adding a hefty premium on rose bouquets on Valentine’s Day.
Hongkongers weather the storm to spend latest round of consumption vouchers
Restaurants do the same to cash in on special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. In turn, successful restaurants get a bite taken out of them when parasitic landlords unreasonably hike the rent during boom times. It’s just the free market in action – supply and demand, right?
Well, I think it’s a little different where supermarkets are concerned. Technically, they’re not a luxury. At their core, they are there to provide basic necessities.
When guys try to impress their girlfriends with indulgences like a big bunch of flowers and a table for two at the Four Seasons Hotel’s Caprice, these are superfluous extravagances. Fine, go ahead and charge what you think these courting couples will pay.
Supermarkets capitalising on consumption vouchers just doesn’t seem right. To take advantage and exploit us, especially working-class families, on this bonus benefit really looks like the ugly side of capitalism. To be frank, it’s kind of despicable.
I’m sure their PR reps will have all sorts of handy excuses. They might say the new prices just reflect inflation, although we all know they don’t. They’ll point to new special offers and flash sales for customers, but in reality, it’s just marketing doublespeak – “the more you shop, the more you save!”
I bet there are readers who now think I’m some sort of commie. Maybe they think I should move somewhere else that shares this left-wing agenda. I just haven’t figured out whether that is Sweden or China.
The fact is, the price of most supermarket goods go up because ParknShop and Wellcome can get away with it. It’s a disappointing corporate ethos, but I suppose a tiger can’t change its stripes.
Since I’m complaining, I might as well add that I’m tired of being badgered all the time to download their apps for the stupid reward points and tiny extra discounts. My phone already has enough useless apps clogging up the storage.
