‘Survival comes first’: KF Seetoh applauds Singapore hawkers who are increasing prices

SINGAPORE: With Singaporeans used to having delicious and affordable food practically around every street corner, many protest when the price of hawker food rises.

Food guru and Makansutra founder KF Seetoh, however, has been a longtime champion of Singapore’s hawkers and praised those in the industry who have increased what they charge for their food, given the current global situation where fuel costs have been driven up amid the war in the Middle East.

He characterised the move to increase prices in an April 12 (Sunday) social media post as a matter of life and death for hawkers, though he is well aware that doing so raises the risk of criticism from others.

“Bravo. I read some hawkers are already raising their prices by as much as a dollar. Of course, they get flak from the citizens of entitlement. These hawkers know their survival comes first in these troubled times,” he wrote.

Mr Seetoh added a message for hawkers who hesitate to raise prices, though their livelihood is threatened, telling them that in this situation, they and their families must come first, no matter how much they want to “help the really poor with cost pricing.”

He wrote, “Hear this… to those who hang in for dear life still offering unreasonably low prices in this ‘everything up’ situation because their demanding regulars think you owe them a living, you better rethink.”

They must be the first to help themselves, and should not depend on anyone else to rescue them, he added.

“If you trip over and can’t make your ends meet nor maintain your family’s needs and shutter up, NO ONE CARES. At best, you get a passing mention in some post. Your survival must take precedence.”

Mr Seetoh reminded hawkers that they are not “obliged to feed the poor and the entitled” who can approach those in authority to ask for help when they need it.

He added, however, that when the world is no longer at war and fuel flows freely and its price goes back down, then hawkers may “consider readjusting your prices back to more realistic prices.”

Many Facebook users have agreed with Mr Seetoh, saying that hawkers have as much right to raise prices as everyone else, especially those who are young and just starting out, who have more expenses to deal with.

“Some hawkers (mostly elderly ones) can maintain low prices because they’ve paid off their housing loans, kids have grown up, original rent is low, etc. You can’t expect a young hawker to do the same, what with rent, goods, HDB, and tuition for kids, etc.,” a commenter wrote

Another, however, shared that “An old uncle hawker told me that he has to increase his price by 20 cents next week as the cost rose too much for him liao. I told him that I would rather he increase 20 cents than cut the quality of his food to save cost.”

“I support hawkers increasing prices. They cannot be the only ones sacrificing their time and labour,” chimed in a commenter.

“Totally agree. When you consider the value and quality of the good hawker food, you quickly realise it’s the best food value in Singapore (and perhaps in the world!!),” wrote another. /TISG

Read also: ‘Their margins are paper thin’: KF Seetoh speaks out for hawkers and coffeshops amid ‘ridiculous’ rental hikes, high gas prices, and rising cost of living