Hot dog bun goes up from $1.70 to $2, the seller even asks for the bun’s plastic bag back

SINGAPORE: A Facebook user wrote that he was amused when the price of a hot dog bun he bought at a local bakery had gone up from $1.70 to $2.

Other commenters, however, wrote that they did not find the price increase quite so funny, with one netizen saying that the most recent 1 per cent in the Goods & Services Tax (GST), which was implemented on Jan 1, 2024, in some cases has meant a 20 per cent increase “on the streets.”

In a May 7 (Wednesday) post on the popular Complaint Singapore page, the post author wrote that he had bought the hotdog bun at a bakery at the Sembawang MRT station, adding that there was a “sudden steep increase after a small renovation.”

He added that the woman who sold the hot dog bun had originally given it to him in a plastic bag but later asked for it back, proclaiming “a single-item purchase does not warrant a plastic bag anymore.”

The incident left him “feeling amused.”

However, some commenters on his post wrote that the increase of over 17 per cent for the hot dog bun was decidedly less pleasant for them.

“$2 is too expensive for a hotdog bun,” wrote one, adding, “Regardless of how much everyone is earning, it’s not right to charge more because people are earning more, even though they believe they can.”

“I stopped buying those buns from the bakery,” wrote another.

One commented, “1% GST increase became 20% on the streets.”

“So expensive all the items,” another sighed.

Some group members, however, recommended other bakeries where bread is still reasonably priced.

“Hougang Central 80+ stores there, all buns at $1 only, freshly made, very nice,” wrote one.

Another chimed in with, “Then you should go to Jurong East Blk 35x, a few shops there are selling $1 bread.”

In Singapore, which has built quite a reputation for itself for its delicious and affordable food, high prices for meals or food items cause many to get upset. This has become increasingly common in the past few years, especially with increased inflation rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, global tensions affecting supply chains.

Hawkers and other food and beverage establishment owners have also been vocal about their struggles to offer reasonably priced meals in the face of the higher prices of raw materials and labour. /TISG

Read also: “S$12 for 1 piece of asam pedas fish?” — Customer left in a state of disbelief with the ‘high price’ he was charged for his fish meal order