FairPrice, Sheng Siong offer deals on healthier rice
Supermarket chains FairPrice and Sheng Siong now offer discounts on healthier alternatives to white rice, such as brown rice and red rice.
This follows Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech on Sunday, where he encouraged Singaporeans to make the switch from white rice.
FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain here, announced on Sunday discounts of at least 10 per cent on eight healthier rice products, including unpolished red and brown rice from its house brand, until next Wednesday.
Sheng Siong is offering a 10 per cent discount on alternative rice products from its house brand Royal Golden Grain, among others, across its stores until the end of the month, it said on Monday.
White rice is deemed to be less healthy than other types of rice. Starchy white rice can lead to a spike in blood sugar after consumption. This heightens one's risk of diabetes, which one in nine Singaporeans suffers from.
Mr Lee said on Sunday: "White rice may not taste sweet, but the effect is almost like eating sugar, and when you eat white rice, your blood sugar will shoot up."
FairPrice hopes to encourage Singaporeans to switch to healthier rice by moderating their prices.
A Sheng Siong spokesman said the discount is to "support our Government's call to fight against diabetes", by encouraging customers to include brown rice as part of their staple diet.
Thai brown unpolished rice (2.5kg) from Fairprice's house brand costs $4.50, after an 18 per cent discount.
Sheng Siong's Royal Golden Grain Red Brown Rice (5kg) is now $10.70. A similar pack of Royal Golden Grain Premium Fragrant Rice, a comparable white rice variety, costs $11.80.
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