As published in The Straits Times
I refer to the article “Coffee, milk powder among 5% of common household items hit by ‘shrinkflation’ in Singapore: Singstat” (April 29).
Shrinkflation is frustrating because it is not always obvious. Consumers may see the same familiar bottle, box or packet, but receive less product for the same price – or pay even more for less.
Unit pricing is an important safeguard. But Singapore should also look further upstream at the way everyday goods are packaged and sold.
For household essentials such as laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, shampoo and cleaners, refill-and-reuse systems can help make prices more transparent.
When consumers buy based on a clear unit such as per litre or per kilogram, the real price is easier to see. It becomes harder for packaging size changes to quietly disguise price increases. Reuse does not make products immune to inflation. Raw materials, transport and labour costs can still rise. But it removes one important layer of cost and complexity: the disposable packaging that is manufactured, transported, paid for and thrown away with every purchase.
This matters beyond the environment. Packaging is also a cost-of-living issue. Every single-use bottle, cap, label and carton has to be paid for by someone, and that cost is ultimately built into the price of goods. In a world of volatile oil, petrochemical, logistics and packaging costs, reusable packaging can also act as a practical buffer.
Instead of repeatedly producing and shipping new containers, we can have the same container or refill infrastructure used many times.
Singapore has already taken a useful step with unit pricing. The next step is to support practical refill and reuse infrastructure in supermarkets, neighbourhoods and community nodes, so that households have real alternatives for common daily essentials.
Shrinkflation reminds us that packaging is not just a waste issue. It is also a transparency, affordability and resilience issue.
Sean Lam
Chair, Singapore Reuse Coalition