Wednesday 15 October 2014

NTUC rolls out discounts and perks for pioneers

Savings at FairPrice and Foodfare, priority queues among the benefits
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 14 Oct 2014

MONDAYS just got better for Ms Lim Sui Cheng, 66.

The private tutor yesterday received a 3 per cent discount on her groceries at NTUC FairPrice, under a new scheme to honour Singapore's pioneer generation aged 65 and older.

Her meals at NTUC Foodfare foodcourts will cost her 12 per cent less every Monday, while purchases of medicine and other items at NTUC Unity pharmacies will have a 6.5 per cent discount.

These discounts are on top of priority queues and seats marked out for pioneers like Ms Lim at nearly 200 NTUC-linked supermarkets, pharmacies, foodcourts and other outlets in Singapore.

This "Pioneers OK!" package, by the labour movement's social enterprise arm called NTUC Enterprise, will last till the end of next year.

In launching it yesterday, NTUC secretary-general Lim Swee Say paid tribute to the pioneers at the event in Ang Mo Kio Hub, which 150 of them attended.

Mr Lim said: "Because of you, Singapore is OK today. And we want to work together as one Singapore to make sure that you, our pioneers, will be OK in the future."

The Monday specials are to help the elderly with basic essentials, and are a result of feedback from them, he said.

The NTUC move follows the Government's $9 billion Pioneer Generation Package, announced earlier this year, to help 450,000 older Singaporeans with their health-care bills.

The 3 per cent discount on Mondays at FairPrice supermarkets - capped at $200 worth of purchases - is in addition to the ongoing 2 per cent discount given every Tuesday to seniors aged 60 and older. Said Ms Lim, who was at the launch: "I spend $200 a month on groceries and household items, so I'd save $6. The savings are decent. I'll try to do my grocery shopping on Mondays now."

Other than the Monday discounts, there are designated priority queues every day at FairPrice supermarkets, priority queueing at NTUC Income offices, and seating areas set aside for pioneers at Foodfare eateries.

Ang Mo Kio Hub Foodfare regulars Lan Xiao Mei, 78, Tay Siak Luan, 75, and Annie Khong, 62, who meet daily for coffee and a chat, said the seats for pioneers would be much appreciated on days when their regular table is taken up by others.

The discount package also includes a new NTUC Income personal accident insurance plan called PioneerCare.

Mr Lim said NTUC Enterprise will introduce more offers every quarter.

"The next target will be in health care," he said, adding that it was premature to disclose more at this stage.

On whether the package will continue beyond next year, he said a review will be done towards the end of the programme to assess how beneficial it was to the pioneers and its cost to NTUC cooperatives.

But more importantly, NTUC wants to make sure pioneers find the package useful, he added.









Benefits at a glance


NTUC FairPrice
- 3 per cent discount, capped at $200 worth of purchases.
- Queue specially marked for pioneers at all stores.


NTUC Foodfare
- 12 per cent off at all Foodfare foodcourts and coffee shops.
- Seats marked for pioneers at its foodcourts and coffee shops.


NTUC Health
- 6.5 per cent discount at NTUC Unity pharmacies.
- Priority queue for pioneers at pharmacies.
- A free dental kit available with every Monday visit to a Unity Denticare. It includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss picks and denture tablets.


NTUC Income
- A new personal accident insurance plan called PioneerCare, with premiums that cost 10 per cent less than those under the SilverCare plan. PioneerCare is for those aged 65 and older, while SilverCare can be bought only for people aged 50 to 75.


NTUC Link
- Pioneers can redeem Metro, Swensen's and Cathay Cineplex vouchers at NTUC Trade Union House for 50 per cent fewer LinkPoints.


NTUC LearningHub
- A $10 three-hour class to learn how to use smartphones and tablets.
All the offers are on till the end of next year.









* Pioneers save S$50,000 a week with NTUC FairPrice’s pioneers discount
TODAY, 11 Nov 2014

Singapore’s pioneer generation have saved an average of around S$50,000 a week at NTUC FairPrice outlets since the launch of a Pioneers discount initiative on Oct 13, revealed the supermarket chain today (Nov 11).

With the addition of an existing 2 per cent discount for seniors aged 60 and above every Tuesday, the total amount of savings enjoyed by seniors have almost doubled to more than S$100,000 weekly, added FairPrice.

The Pioneers discount initiative, falls under NTUC’s Pioneers OK programme — launched as a “thank you” gesture to the pioneer generation. Members of the pioneer generation are given a three per cent discount on their purchases every Monday.

Around 450,000 Singaporeans are considered part of the pioneer generation. They are people aged 65 and above in 2014, and who obtained Singapore citizenship on or before Dec 31, 1986.

To enjoy the discount, members of the pioneer generation are required to flash their Pioneer Generation card when making their purchase. The discount is subject to a S$200 cap and does not apply to statutory items such as gift vouchers, newspapers, cigarettes.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, chief executive of NTUC FairPrice, said: “In line with the Government’s initiatives to recognise the Pioneer Generation’s contribution, FairPrice also wanted to thank this group of individuals for shaping and contributing to Singapore. ...We expect more Pioneers to participate in this initiative with greater awareness of the programme.”

Mr Michael Ng, 69, a member of the Pioneer Generation, who shops regularly at NTUC FairPrice, said: “The 3 percent discount is appreciated by many of my friends as every little bit counts especially for those in their retirement years with little or no source of income. I feel that Pioneers in general are not looking for a hand-out, and that’s where it’s the small but significant gestures that matter — like priority queues.”

In addition to the discount, FairPrice has also set up priority queues for the Pioneer generation in stores. The discount is part of NTUC Enterprise’s Pioneers OK programme which runs until Dec 31 next year.





* NTUC FairPrice extends 3% Pioneer Generation discount for another year till December 2016
“With the extension of the Pioneer Generation discount scheme, we hope to continue to provide greater savings for pioneers to purchase their daily essentials and stretch their dollar," says Seah Kian Peng, CEO of NTUC FairPrice.
Channel NewsAsia, 21 Dec 2015

NTUC FairPrice’s 3 per cent discount for the Pioneer Generation has been extended for another year until Dec 31, 2016, the supermarket chain announced in a media release on Monday (Dec 21).

The discount, which is applicable only on Mondays, was originally scheduled to conclude at the end of this year.

NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng, said: “FairPrice looks to continue serving the needs of Singaporeans from all walks of life.

“With the extension of the Pioneer Generation discount scheme, we hope to continue to provide greater savings for pioneers to purchase their daily essentials and stretch their dollar. This is our small way of thanking and honouring our pioneers who have given so much of themselves for Singapore.”

Dear Fans, our 3% Pioneer Generation Discount will be extended for another year. That’s right, enjoy great savings on...
Posted by NTUC FairPrice on Monday, December 21, 2015


Since its launch in October 2014, FairPrice said the discount has helped members of the Pioneer Generation save a total of S$3.6 million on their purchases at all its supermarkets.

The discount was initially introduced as part of NTUC Enterprise’s “Pioneers OK” programme to honour the Pioneer Generation through the various NTUC social enterprises. Members of the Pioneer Generation include seniors who are aged 65 and above in 2014, and who obtained Singapore citizenship on or before Dec 31, 1986.










** FairPrice extends Pioneer Generation discounts till 31 December 2017 and expands it to twice a week
By Fabian Koh, The Straits Times, 30 Dec 2016

NTUC FairPrice said yesterday it will be extending the Pioneer Generation discount scheme for another year, until Dec 31 next year.

The scheme will also be expanded to include Thursday from Jan 1.

Currently, the discount applies only on Monday.

Under the scheme, members of the Pioneer Generation enjoy a 3 per cent discount when shopping at FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest outlets and FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets.

The Pioneer Generation comprises the 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 or older in 2014 who were citizens on Dec 31, 1986.

This is the third year that FairPrice has extended the initiative.

Close to $6.4 million in savings have been disbursed since its launch in 2014.



Mr Seah Kian Peng, chief executive of NTUC FairPrice, said pioneers save more with the inclusion of Thursday as it is "typically the day when attractive promotions are announced each week".

Shoppers above 60 years old also get a 2 per cent discount on Tuesday under the seniors discount scheme.

These rebates come on top of existing initiatives - such as LinkPoints, membership discounts, purchase-with-purchase, Housebrand, Every Day Low Price and Yellow Dot products - to help shoppers maximise their savings.

Members of the Pioneer Generation will also get to use designated priority payment counters at FairPrice supermarkets and hypermarkets islandwide.

They just have to present their Pioneer Generation cards, provided as part of the Pioneer Generation Package from the Government, at cashier counters to enjoy the discount and priority queuing.

Mr Seah said: "We continue to honour our pioneers for their contributions to Singapore by providing them with greater savings for their daily necessities."


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