Jurong West Hawker Centre Lodges Petition Against Tray Return System Stall owners at Jurong West Hawker Centre are feeling the pinch from a system designed to keep hawker centres clean. Apparently, hawkers have to pay patrons 20 cents every time someone returns a food tray. And stallholders say this additional expense is taking a toll on their bottom line. Source Unusual practice In response, 12 hawkers have gathered and signed a petition asking for the operator to remove the fee. The petition was lodged in August with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Koufu, which runs the hawker centre through its social enterprise subsidiary Hawker Management. The hawkers’ argument is that Jurong West Hawker Centre is the only hawker centre in Singapore following this practice. Customers receive 20 cents when they return their tray, yet do not pay anything to take a tray when they purchase food. One stallholder had to pay close to $900 a month for the additional tray charges, on top of the $2,140 monthly rent and overhead costs. This amounts to a whopping $3,000 per month, proving the cost to be too hefty. System implemented to benefit both customers and stall owners The tray return system […]
6 years ago
