• FairPrice supports Earth Hour 2011 by switching off lights at their outlets, offices and warehousing facilities.
• Energy saving efforts at FairPrice have seen energy usage at stores using LED lighting and energy efficient chillers reduced by about 40 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

A strong supporter for green initiatives, NTUC FairPrice is partnering the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the Earth Hour global climate change initiative by switching off lightings at over 100 FairPrice supermarket and hypermarket stores tomorrow at 8.30pm. This is the third year FairPrice is supporting the initiative since it was introduced in Singapore in 2009.

The “lights-off” movement will see FairPrice switch off all non-essential lighting, such as signage light boxes and facade lighting, at its network of stores islandwide including FairPrice and FairPrice Finest supermarkets, and FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets. The supermarket chain will go beyond the stipulated one hour for Earth Hour participants, with all stores switching off lights from 8.30pm to closing time. FairPrice stores that operate 24 hours will do so from 8.30pm to 7.30am the following day. Not all lights can be switched off due to safety and security considerations. It will be business as usual at all FairPrice stores during this time.

FairPrice is reaching out to its strong pool of over 60,000 fans on That’s My FairPrice and Cheers Facebook fan pages by encouraging them to support Earth Hour 2011 by switching off their lights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. To generate more awareness and interest in being eco-friendly, tips on recycling and educational ‘Earth Trivia’ will be posted on the fan pages too. Fans can also share pictures of how they enjoyed quality time together with their family in the dark.

Energy Saving Lights and Refrigerators

In 2009, NTUC FairPrice set up the Green Committee to look into green CSR initiatives and opportunities for its business to be more sustainable. In 2010, FairPrice started to use energy-saving light-emitting diode (LED) lighting for new stores and stores undergoing renovation. Average energy consumption savings on lighting for stores, office and warehousing facilities that have been fully converted to LED lights amount to about 40 per cent compared with conventional fluorescent tubes.

FairPrice stores that operate 24 hours also switch off 30 per cent of their lights from 12 to 6 am daily to conserve energy.

To further conserve energy, FairPrice is also in the process of converting to energy-efficient chillers and refrigerators, which are about 20 per cent more efficient when compared with conventional refrigeration units.

Green Retailing

FairPrice also launched Singapore’s first eco-friendly supermarket at City Square Mall in December 2009. The store showcases the latest eco-friendly solutions in grocery retailing, which include usage of recycled and biodegradable materials for store fixtures, energy-saving equipment and lighting, as well as “green technology” like the reverse vending machine. To offer more convenience to environmentally-conscious customers, the supermarket sports a “green aisle” dedicated to a range of environmentally friendly products that include biodegradable versions of disposable crockery and cutlery, as well as household cleaning products that are made from biodegradable resources and renewable raw materials.

Internally, FairPrice also promotes green practices by encouraging staff to reduce paper usage by printing on both sides and recycling. A pool of reusable grocery bags is also available for staff.