Nearly half of Singaporeans are open to paying for clean public toilets, survey reveals

SINGAPORE: A recent survey by Singapore Management University (SMU) highlights Singaporeans’ increasing willingness to pay for clean and hygienic public toilet facilities.

Nearly half of the participants in the study, which took place between August and September this year, expressed readiness to pay for access to well-maintained public restrooms.

The survey involved interviews with 510 employees and 4,395 customers across 1,428 locations, including coffee shops, hawker centres, subway stations, and shopping malls.

Among those willing to pay, 82% were comfortable with charges between 10 and 30 cents. Additionally, over 40% were willing to pay between 50 cents and more than a dollar.

When asked about the cleanliness of toilets at different venues, respondents identified those at Sentosa as the cleanest among hawker centres and coffee shops, followed by facilities in Newton and Tanglin.

However, the survey also highlighted concerns about overall sanitation. Respondents perceived a decline in the cleanliness of public toilets in coffee shops compared to last year, while shopping mall restrooms were deemed the most hygienic overall.

A troubling trend revealed in the survey was the link between the proximity of cooking facilities and toilet cleanliness in hawker centres and coffee shops. Toilets closer to cooking areas were dirtier, raising concerns about hygiene standards in such settings.

This survey sheds light on the importance of maintaining clean public facilities and the willingness of Singaporeans to contribute financially to improved sanitation.

These findings could prompt further discussions on public hygiene policies and funding models for restroom maintenance.