• Initiatives mark 40 years of moderating cost of living for the Singapore community

NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) launches new staff uniforms and commemorates its Founders’ Day with the senior management team performing operational tasks like cashiering and replenishing stocks at its first store in Toa Payoh, as the retailer marks its 40th anniversary.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, Chief Executive Officer, NTUC FairPrice said, “Being on the ground helps the management team to stay connected with our people in the stores and our customers, hence we initiated the Management-by-Attachment programme in 2011. Under this programme, all our management staff have to work in a store two days a year at the stores to better understand our staff and our customers’ needs. This year, as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we decided to commemorate our Founders’ Day by having the management team work at our first FairPrice store in Toa Payoh.”

While FairPrice has grown from a single supermarket store to a multi-format retailer employing about 9,000 people in 40 years, it remains committed to its social mission to moderate the cost of living in Singapore by providing quality goods at fair prices. As the co-operative retailer continues to grow and expand, it also recognises the importance for the management team to continue remaining attuned to the needs of the staff, its customers and to lead by example.

Uniform refresh to reflect progress

FairPrice also continuously works to enhance the overall shopping experience with multi-retail formats, technological advances, improved store designs and longer operating hours to meet its customers’ evolving needs through the years. When FairPrice celebrated its 31st anniversary in 2004, it updated its uniforms to complement the image of its upgraded outlets. This year’s exercise to refresh the uniforms continues to complement the developments at FairPrice stores and mirrors the retailer’s pursuit in upgrading service levels for service excellence.

The three new types of uniforms for team leaders, retail assistants and storekeepers, are designed to be functional and comfortable. In addition to the modern cut, FairPrice’s corporate colours conveyed in the uniform would depict a smart and professional image. The new uniform was developed, over a two year period, with extensive feedback from staff on the design, choice of colour and materials. FairPrice will roll out the new uniforms at all FairPrice stores from August onwards this year. Uniforms for FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets will remain the same.

Commenting on the new uniforms, Mr Seah said, “Achieving service excellence will always be an ongoing journey and we need to update and refresh ourselves – maintaining our relevance and keeping ourselves aligned with our customers’ needs. As we step into our 40th year, it is timely to refresh and introduce new uniforms for our staff to complement the progress that we have made in stores over the years. This exercise to refresh our uniforms mirrors our pursuit in upgrading our service levels. We will also continue to customise training for our staff to improve our service standards, look into ways to increase productivity and increase service quality. These will be done alongside our promise to moderate the cost of living for our customers.”

FairPrice opened the doors of its first store as NTUC Welcome at Toa Payoh on 22 July 1973, to help stabilise the cost of living and curb profiteering when the global oil crisis in the 1970s triggered rising food prices. It employs various strategies such as housebrands, diversified sourcing and contract farming to ensure price and supply stability to moderate cost of living.

Today, its stores are easily accessible islandwide with over 270 outlets comprising FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets and a convenience arm of Cheers and FairPrice Xpress stores, including an online shopping portal, FairPrice Online.