When NTUC Welcome opened at Block 192, Toa Payoh Lorong 4 in 1973, few expected it to become the retail force it is today. Launched by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 22 July 1973, the outlet was more than a supermarket. It was a direct response to food shortages and unfair pricing in a time of global uncertainty.
Back then, Singapore faced rising costs due to the global oil crisis. Some businesses hoarded goods and raised prices, putting extra burden on working families. NTUC stepped in with a cooperative supermarket model, offering stable and affordable prices, and sharing profits through dividends and rebates.
Fifty years later, that same purpose still guides FairPrice, only that now, the scale and strategy have changed.
Always Ready in a Crisis
FairPrice was built to respond quickly during hard times and this mindset has continued through the decades. During COVID-19, when shelves emptied and fear spread, FairPrice kept stores open, reassured the public, and froze prices for 100 essential items.
When others raised prices, FairPrice chose stability. This reflected the original reason it was formed in the 1970s: to protect everyday Singaporeans from profiteering.
Although FairPrice kept its mission, how did it change its strategy to evolve with the times?
1. Serving Every Type of Shopper
Walk into any neighbourhood and you’ll see different versions of FairPrice:
- FairPrice Xtra for larger families and lifestyle goods
- FairPrice Finest for higher-income shoppers
- FairPrice Express at petrol kiosks
- Cheers convenience stores
This multi-format model lets FairPrice serve many segments while staying consistent in pricing and service. Families, seniors, working professionals, heartlanders and even drivers needing to refuel, all have a FairPrice option tailored to their needs.
Few other retailers offer this kind of range while keeping a consistent brand feel.
2. Going Digital, Staying Human
FairPrice built a strong online store and developed a feature-rich mobile app which sees over a million monthly active users, thanks to digital vouchers, personalised deals, and gamified rewards.
Digital in-store fittings such as Scan-and-Go, self-checkout lanes, and smart trolleys with touchscreens and barcode scanners have made shopping faster and easier. At the same time, the chain continued investing in staff training and in-store help, keeping the shopping experience friendly and personal.
This mix of tech and trust helped FairPrice stay close to younger customers while engaging older ones.
3. Strengthening Local Supply Chains
Ensuring diversification of supply chains, FairPrice has been working closely with local farms and suppliers to increase its share of local produce in its stores, with over 6,000 local items on shelves—from eggs to vegetables.
During COVID-19, when imports slowed, this local network ensured supplies remained steady. In addition, FairPrice runs an annual Made in Singapore fair and supports over 500 SMEs via its SME Suppliers Support and Development Programme.
FairPrice also tackled sustainability head-on. It implemented a “Bring Your Own Bag” (BYOB) initiative to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bags, encouraged customers to donate reusable plastic bags at designated collection points within FairPrice supermarkets, and charged for single-use plastic bags to donate the proceeds to various causes in Singapore.
Besides reducing packaging waste, FairPrice also ran food rescue and distribution initiatives via employee volunteerism. Behind the scenes, it improved warehouse logistics to cut waste and optimise delivery routes.
4. More Than a Supermarket
In 2019, FairPrice merged with Link, Foodfare and Kopitiam under a new banner: FairPrice Group. This move gave the group control over loyalty rewards, cooked food, groceries, convenience stores, and digital retail—all under one umbrella.
Customers can enjoy a seamless experience across multiple touchpoints. For example, Linkpoints can be earned and redeemed not just at supermarkets, but also at food courts, and even through online orders. Supply chains are integrated, allowing for better coordination in stocking, logistics, and promotions. Whether you’re topping up groceries at FairPrice Finest, grabbing kopi at Kopitiam, or redeeming your Linkpoints, the experience feels connected.
Then in 2022, FairPrice Group extended its ecosystem even further by launching Trust Bank, a digital bank built in partnership with Standard Chartered. Trust Bank offers better rebates for FairPrice Group spend via Linkpoints earnings, no-fees savings accounts, zero foreign exchange fees, fast digital onboarding, and preferential rewards for NTUC union members.
Customers who shop at FairPrice can enjoy exclusive offers, rebates, and automatic reward syncing—all through a mobile app. Within its first year, Trust Bank gained over 600,000 users, showing strong uptake among FairPrice’s existing customer base and NTUC union member base.
This expansion into financial services reflects FairPrice Group’s broader goal: to be part of everyday living, from meals and groceries to digital payments and banking. With each new service, the group enhances its role in Singaporeans’ lives—not just as a retailer, but as a dependable partner in managing daily costs, rewards, and convenience.
5. Holding On to Its Core Values
Even as FairPrice Group evolves and expands, its mission is still to keep daily essentials within reach for all in Singapore. Profits go back into keeping prices low, distributing dividends and rebates, building better services, and supporting the community via FairPrice Foundation.
It continues to roll out discounts for seniors, pioneer generation, and lower-income families. During inflation surges, it absorbs cost increases instead of passing them on. It studied Singaporean lifestyles and shaped its services around real needs—convenience, value, and reliability—while evolving to be future-ready.
This mindset—of always placing the customer first—has made FairPrice a steady presence in uncertain times.
A Social Enterprise Built for the Long Haul
Half a century after its launch, FairPrice still stays close to the ground. The first outlet in Toa Payoh was created to support workers and their families. That same mission continues today, just across a much wider platform.
Many Singaporeans don’t even think twice before stepping into a FairPrice. It’s just there, dependable, part of the daily rhythm. And that’s the highest compliment a supermarket can receive.
Because retail trends come and go. But trust, once earned and maintained, keeps people coming back.
FairPrice understood that early and built everything around it.
