叶汉荣（杨厝港单选区议员）先生询问副总理兼贸工部长：

(a) 鉴于新加坡统计局最近的调查结果显示小贩食品价格上涨，贸工部如何确保小贩中心、美食广场和咖啡店食品和饮料摊位的价格上涨是由于管理费用增加所致，而不是实际上过度增加此类食品企业的利润？

(b) 自2022年以来，有多少此类摊位和食品企业因牟取暴利而被追究责任？

陈舜娘（东海岸集选区议员） 女士询问副总理兼贸工部长：

(a) 新加坡统计局最近发现的小贩食品价格上涨，是否包括邻里咖啡店和美食广场出售的食品和饮料的价格？

(b) 食品和饮料价格的上涨是否与通货膨胀率一致？

颜金勇（副总理兼贸工部长）先生：统计局最近发表了一篇关于小贩食品价格趋势的文章，涵盖了美食广场、咖啡店和小贩中心出售的食品和饮料。

2022年和2023年，小贩食品价格分别上涨5.7%和6.1%，主要是由于 COVID-19大流行和俄乌战争引发的供应链中断，导致进口食品原料价格上涨。其中，新加坡食品进口价格在2022年上涨了8.7%，2023 年上半年又同比上涨了2.1%。

由于全球食品价格下跌，新加坡的食品进口价格自2023年第三季度开始下降。2024年5月，小贩食品通胀率已降至3.7%，与5月份消费者价格指数 (CPI)所有项目通胀率3.1%基本一致。

政府与许多新加坡人一样，对日常开支增加感到担忧。为解决这一问题，政府采取了一些措施，如在2024年预算案中加强了19亿新元的定心与援助配套（Assurance Package）。加强措施包括向所有新加坡家庭额外提供价值600新元的社理会（CDC）邻里购物券，这些购物券可在参与活动的小贩、邻里商户和超市使用。首批300新元的邻里购物券已于6月25日发放，第二批 300新元将于2025年1月发放。新加坡人将在今年全年获得进一步的支持，包括2024年9月的生活费特别补助（Cost-of-Living Special Payment）。

政府还推出了各种举措，为消费者提供负担得起的食品选择。例如，建屋发展局与咖啡店经营者合作，提供经济实惠的餐饮选择。公众可以通过 BudgetMealGoWhere 网站搜索这些选择。新加坡消费者协会还开发了 Price Kaki 应用程序，让消费者可以轻松比较不同卖家的小贩食品和杂货的价格。

鉴于2023年和2024年消费税 (GST) 税率上调，反牟利委员会 (CAP) 再次召开会议，审查和调查以消费税上调为借口的对基本产品和服务不合理涨价的反馈意见。自2022年以来，反牟利委员会 (CAP)已调查并解决了16起指控小贩中心、美食广场和咖啡店虚报消费税的投诉。自2024年3月以来，反牟利委员会 (CAP)  没有收到任何此类反馈。

STUDY ON WHETHER FOOD PRICE INCREASES ARE IN LINE WITH INFLATION

90 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) in view of the recent findings by the Singapore Department of Statistics that hawker food prices have risen, how does the Ministry ensure that increases in prices at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shop food and drink stalls are due to increasing overhead costs and are not, in fact, excessively contributing to profits by such food businesses; and (b) since 2022, how many such stalls and food establishments have been held accountable for profiteering.

91 Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether recent findings by the Singapore Department of Statistics that hawker food prices have risen include the price of food and beverages sold at neighbourhood coffee shops and food courts; and (b) whether the increases in price of food and beverages align with the rate of inflation.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: A recent article by the Department of Statistics on hawker food price trends covers food and beverages sold at food courts, coffee shops and hawker centres.

The 5.7% and 6.1% increases in hawker food prices in 2022 and 2023 respectively were primarily driven by more costly imported food ingredients due to supply chain disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. In particular, Singapore’s import prices for food commodities rose by 8.7% in 2022 and a further 2.1% year-on-year in the first half of 2023.

Singapore’s import prices for food commodities have started to decline since the third quarter of 2023 due to the fall in global food commodity prices. Hawker food inflation has moderated to 3.7% in May 2024, which is broadly in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI)-All Items inflation of 3.1% in May. 

The Government shares the concern of many Singaporeans regarding higher daily expenses. To address this, the Government introduced measures, such as the $1.9 billion enhancement to the Assurance Package in Budget 2024. The enhancement includes an additional $600 worth of Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers for all Singaporean households that can be used at participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets. The first $300 tranche was launched on 25 June, and the second tranche of $300 will be disbursed in January 2025. Singaporeans will receive further support throughout this year, including the Cost-of-Living Special Payment in September 2024.

The Government has also rolled out various initiatives to provide consumers with affordable food options. For example, the Housing and Development Board worked with coffee shop operators to provide budget meal and drink options. Members of the public can search for these options using the BudgetMealGoWhere website. The Consumers Association of Singapore has also developed the Price Kaki app, which enables consumers to easily compare the prices of hawker food items and groceries from different sellers.

Given the Goods and Services (GST) rate increase in 2023 and 2024, the Committee Against Profiteering (CAP) was reconvened to review and investigate feedback about unjustified price increases of essential products and services that use the GST increase as an excuse. Since 2022, CAP has investigated and resolved 16 submissions alleging GST misrepresentation by hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops. Since March 2024, CAP has not received any such feedback.