SINGAPORE: According to a report from the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) released earlier this month, hawker food prices rose by 6.1% i
SINGAPORE: According to a report from the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) released earlier this month, hawker food prices rose by 6.1% in 2023, up from a 5.7% increase in 2022. This marks the highest annual hike since 2008, significantly exceeding the 2.2% average yearly rise from 2012 to 2022.
The report analyzed the price trends for 16 popular food items across hawker centres, coffee shops, and food courts. While food court and coffee shop meals increased by 6%, hawker centres saw prices climb 6.1%. Common items like economical rice, chicken rice, fishball noodles, and coffee/tea contributed to the surge. Supply chain disruptions and rising costs of raw ingredients due to the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict were key drivers behind these increases.
Price hikes peaked at 8.3% in early 2023 but eased to 4.1% by December. Drinks saw the steepest rise at hawker centres, with prices up 6.9%, followed by noodle-based dishes (6.2%) and rice-based meals (5.4%). Meanwhile, food courts and coffee shops saw the highest increases in noodle-based dishes at 8.0%, with rice-based dishes and drinks up by 6.5% and 6.3%, respectively.
For example, the price of char kway teow rose from S$4.18 to S$4.52, and fish ball noodles went from S$3.77 to S$4.13. Chicken rice increased from S$3.48 to S$4.15, while cai fan (one meat, two vegetables) rose from S$3.58 to S$3.82. Coffee without milk went from S$1.14 to S$1.22, and canned drinks climbed from S$1.59 to S$1.71.
Fast food prices also surged by 7.7%, while restaurants saw a 5.9% increase. Dr. Teo Kay Key, a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, noted that the decreasing number of hawkers may add more upward pressure on prices in the future.
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