Singapore to roll out automated tray return systems at hawker centers

As Singapore continues its drive to promote cashlessness, automated tray return systems might soon become a regular sight at hawker centers. Customers will be asked to make cash deposits which are refundable when they return their trays. Would customers be willing to accept digital refunds? Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his viewpoint, published in Today Online’s news portal.

Automated tray return systems could be rolled out across 25 hawker centers. Patrons going to hawker centers such as the ones in Marsiling Mall and Bukit Merah will have to shell out cash to make deposits of SGD0.50 and SG1 respectively for each tray they take. These deposits would be refunded upon the return of the tray.

In a separate development, Ez-Link cardholders can also use their cards to pay for drinks and food at 1,000 stalls in over 30 hawker centers from April.

An integrated cashless hawker center experience may entice customers to forego cash transactions altogether. However, Japnit cautioned against totally eliminating cash as a payment option, since cards can go missing or be stolen. Acceptance of digital refunds might still not be perceived as credible.

Concern over cash deposits for trays is another challenge. Customers fear the machine might not work. It was noted that seniors might be less comfortable going completely cashless.

https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/media/singapore-to-roll-out-automated-tray-return-systems-at-hawker-centers/

Comments

Africa's aviation sector opens up

When the African Union (AU) launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year, it finally opened up Africa’s skies. 23 signatories on board, though another 32 AU members are yet to sign on. SAATM’s launch is a part of AU’s Africa 2063 project, which is a commitment to intra-continent development. If a common regulatory framework is put into place, this could benefit intra-continental travelers immensely, thus boosting commerce and tourism flows among African countries. Will Africa become the world’s next big aviation market? For more information, click here .

The race to invest in Vietnam – How FDI is changing Vietnam’s economy and society

Vietnam’s economy has been among the fastest growing in Southeast Asia. Today, it is a key destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the region. In 2016, FDI climbed to USD24.4 billion, a 9 per cent growth compared to 2015. This is despite Vietnam suffering an epic drought in 2016 and a third of its vast population of 93 million people living in poverty. Vietnam has won a reputation as a cheaper manufacturing hub compared to China. Could FDI propel Vietnam to become Asia’s next Tiger economy? A growing economy With a USD200 billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Vietnam’s economy is tracking well since the start of deep economic reforms – known as Doi Moi – in 1986. Since 1990, its GDP per capita growth has been one of the fastest among emerging economies, at an average 6.4 per cent (yearly) growth in the 2000s. Vietnam has improved provision of basic services. In 2014, the part of the population living below poverty line fell to 13.5 per cent – down from approxim...

China leads the way with eco-innovation

https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/china-leads-the-way-with-eco-innovation/ China is starting to take a leading position in eco-innovation. This has been driven by the country’s large-scale efforts to address pressing environmental challenges, such as in the areas of air pollution and flood control. Many companies are lending support to this cause. For instance, the Beijing subway introduced special vending machines in May last year which reward commuters with discounts on their travel pass when they recycle plastic bottles. In the same year, Nike opened a concept store in Shanghai which was entirely constructed out of trash. The no-glue construction ensured that all materials could be reused in future. Is China ready to remap the path of eco-innovation?

Spire talks about ICT strategies at ICT market Movement 2019 in Yogyakarta

On 20th January, Spire was honored to participate in the ICT Market Movement 2019, Strategic Plan 2020 in Yogyakarta. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Spire Research and Consulting Group shared his insights on the outlook for the Indonesian ICT sector and the strategies needed to win. Jeffrey discussed strategies for digital transformation, which is a watch-word among most corporates in Indonesia today. Going forward, key areas for ICT players to look at include Big Data, the Internet of Things and smart payment solutions. While cyber security remains a concern, technological advancements are improving the security options and tool-kit available to companies. Read more: https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-talks-about-ict-strategies-at-ict-market-movement-2019-in-yogyakarta/

China's measured reaction to US trade tariffs

The recent US trade tariff announcement will impact Chinese imports worth USD60 billion. Will China’s reaction and the prospect of continuing tit-for-tat tariff hikes cause more panic across global markets? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in China Daily – Asia Weekly. As the US Treasury explores restrictions on Chinese investment in the country, the value of stocks plunged across Asian markets. Industries that might come under more scrutiny for possible higher trade tariffs include maritime equipment, new materials, automated machine robotics and tools along with new advanced information technology and high-tech shipping to name a few. Voicing concern, Perera pointed out that China’s focus will still be on minimizing an escalation of mutual tariff hikes. China has hugely benefitted from global trade and FDI flows. However, China is clearly prepared to pursue retaliatory tariffs of its own for strategic reasons – it has announced tariff h...

The Knowledge to Decide

Search This Blog