Supermarkets get Covid-19 subsidies – six ways they can repay it by improving how they serve shoppers in Hong Kong

ParknShop and Wellcome receive Covid-19 subsidies from the Hong Kong government, despite no apparent drop in business during the pandemic
Seeing as customers are unlikely to benefit from this official largesse, here are a few problems the dominant store chains could fix

Andrew Sun

Published: 10:15am, 19 Sep 2020

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Somehow, our brilliant leaders thought it important to give Hong Kong’s two major supermarkets HK$81 million (US$10.5 million) in Covid-19 subsidies. The decision is a bit of a head scratcher, since ParknShop and Wellcome are not exactly struggling financially.

In fact, the two dominant grocery chains are probably doing better than ever. More people are cooking at home during the pandemic, so it stands to reason that they are selling more groceries. The profits from selling toilet paper and rice alone should be tremendous.

As part of the deal, the government has some vague stipulations about giving discounts and maybe cash vouchers to low-income people. So far, the supermarkets haven’t said a peep about such details.

I know there were no price drops when I picked up some cheese and fruit, and replenished my soy sauce this week. In fact, the cost of meat seems to have gone up. Do we need to write some cheques for pig farmers and fruit growers?

Self-service checkout machines at a Taste supermarket, part of ParknShop. Photo: Roy Issa

Anyway, I am not holding my breath for the chunk of public money supermarkets received trickling down to the public.

Instead, I just have six simple requests for them. Most will cost very little to implement but it will offer us shoppers a slightly more pleasant experience.

1. Quit making me check out my own groceries

Does everything have to be DIY? Must I learn the price code for every fruit and vegetable you stock? If I want to do everything for myself, I’ll just shop online. In general, businesses like customers checking themselves out because eventually they can do away with clerks and eliminate those jobs. That’s why even when they’re busy, there’s only one cashier open to funnel shoppers to the self-checkout machines.

Try getting a trolley around this supermarket. Photo: Felix Wong

2. Can you please keep your aisles clear?

Yes, we know space is a premium in Hong Kong, but leaving piles of boxes and supplies in spaces meant for us to walk through is kind of a pain – especially if you’re trying to wheel a fully stocked shopping trolley.

It actually discourages us from buying more, because if I stop to inspect a label or price compare, a traffic jam results with other people trying to get around me or waiting for me to move.

Supermarket staff pack boxes into the aisles, making it difficult for shoppers to see what is actually on the shelves. Photo Felix Wong

3. Stop constantly changing your store layout

There’s nothing worse than getting used to a supermarket, then walking in one day and everything is moved so you can’t find anything. Naturally, the greater the hurry, the more likely entire aisles have been shifted elsewhere. I’m sure your overpaid consultant suggested such shop reconfiguration will encourage more purchases, but it sure annoys the heck out of loyal patrons.

4. Stop encouraging plastic bag overuse

There is enough use of plastic without supermarkets overuse of plastic bags. Photo: Winson Wong

Environmental concerns disappeared when everyone started freaking out about cleanliness and hygiene, so let’s refocus on the unnecessary overuse of plastic bags. Not only are carrier bags generally given away again, but the abuse of the smaller clear plastic bags continues unabated. People just take large numbers of them because they’re free. Worse, your clerks want to bag every individual fresh item with one. Please stop.

5. Can you stop messing around with manipulative pricing?

One day, a can of tuna is HK$15. Next day, it’s HK$29.50. The day after, it’s HK$16.50. On the fourth day, it’s a special sales price of HK$15.50. In reality, you’re constantly upping the price but trying to convince us it’s less. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me again, we’re taking our business elsewhere.

6. For heaven’s sake, stop playing the same jingle over and over.

I never want to hear the melody for Uptown Girl ever again. Even if I’m in Wellcome for just 10 minutes, I have to listen to your Y-U-U theme song about three times. I don’t need this torture. ParknShop and Jasons are also guilty of this crime of muzak. You got HK$81 million, you can afford more background music variety.

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