Written by “New year, new me.” Singapore is really taking this clichéd saying up a huge notch by bumping up the GST from 7% to 8% in 2023 – this means it’s high time for us to tighten our budgets and give our wallets a much-needed break in the year ahead.
Luckily for us, some of our favourite brands have stepped up to the plate with timely promos to cushion the impact of the GST hike. Without further ado, here are 7 brands with promos to combat the 8% GST hike.
Marché Mövenpick
Image credit: @marchesingapore
Fans of Marché Mövenpick, you’re in luck: this Swiss open-concept marketplace-esque restaurant will not be following the GST wave to raise its prices. With Marché absorbing the GST hike, you can now indulge in their delish rösti without worrying about breaking the bank.
Lazada
Image credit: @lazada_sg
8% GST has really got us feeling the blues like the wistful face on SpongeBob’s cheek. That’s why Lazada is lending us a hand with a flat delivery fee of $1.50 levied on items sold by more than 10,000 local sellers.
Screenshot credit: Channel News Asia
That’s not all, as Lazada’s grocery arm RedMart has also rolled out nifty package deals of up to 24% for household essentials such as rice, oil, and coffee. This will prove handy as you stock up on ingredients, snacks, and drinks for the upcoming CNY festivities.
OWNDAYS
Image credit: @owndays_sg
Need to pick out a new pair of specs so you can see Ah Ma better during reunion dinner? OWNDAYS has got you covered by straight up absorbing the GST hike, no questions asked.
Sheng Siong
Image credit: MeWatch
Sheng Siong’s iconic jingle “all for you!” certainly rings true this year, as the supermarket chain is offsetting the GST hike with a counter-inflation 1% discount.
Applicable from 1st January 2023 to 31st March 2023, you’ll enjoy 1% off all items sold in-store with the exception of alcohol, tobacco, vouchers, lottery, and infant milk powder.
Apart from Sheng Siong, other major supermarket chains like FairPrice and Giant are also freezing the GST hike on essential items to help you save those dollars as you shop.
Circles Life
Image credit: @circleslifesg
Something about the image of a paper shredder aggressively ripping the 1% GST apart satisfyingly conveys Circles Life’s 2023 mantra of “new year ≠ higher prices”…or at least for the first three months of the year.
The GST absorption is applicable only from 1st Jan 2023 to 31st Mar 2023, giving you that much-needed breathing room to lighten your monthly telco bill.
ClassPass
Image credit: @classpasssg
Aww, yiss. ClassPass is indeed giving you a whole month free to access its array of fitness classes. Chances are you’ve seen this ad making its rounds while you’re aimlessly scrolling through IG or TikTok. Whether you’re into intense spin classes or relaxing yoga sessions, ClassPass grants you access to it all.
IKEA
Hej! Singapore’s favourite do-it-yourself furniture brand IKEA ain’t about that tax life. This means you can safely deck out your home without worrying about having to pay extra for that nightstand to complete your room.
This GST break also applies to IKEA’s food and other services, making those weekend excursions to their megastores that much sweeter.
Brand promos to combat 2023’s GST hike
Singapore’s cost of living is ever on the rise, and the latest GST hike to 8% only serves to bump up prices across the country. As the things we buy and the services we engage become ever more expensive, there are steps we can take to cut costs in the short run.
As this list of 7 examples demonstrate, there are brands out there who are looking out for us with GST absorptions. While the GST hike is inevitable, these tax absorptions still go a long way to cushion the impact of the hike on our wallets and bank accounts.
Check out how brands respond to current affairs in our other articles below:
- The 3 Ways Brands & People Responded To Joseph Schooling’s Drug Case
- 9 Brands In Singapore That Have 100/100 Instagram Game
- 6 LGBTQ+ Ad Campaigns In Singapore That Showed Allyship Even Before 377A Was Repealed
Cover image adapted from : Ikea, Singapore Business Review
