‘Based on honour system’: Barcodes at FairPrice self checkouts for customers to scan for plastic bag payment

SINGAPORE: NTUC FairPrice is counting on an “honour system” at its self checkout counters when the mandatory disposable carrier bag charge kicks in next month. 

This means that customers at these counters will have to scan a barcode placed on the monitors to pay for the plastic bags they take.

The system was shown to the media on Monday (Jun 19) at the FairPrice outlet at HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok, where supermarket staff gave Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor a preview of what to expect ahead of the implementation of the disposable carrier bag charge. 

From Jul 3, NTUC FairPrice and other large supermarket operators with an annual turnover of more than S$100 million (US$74.7m) are required to charge at least 5 cents per disposable carrier bag, in a push towards sustainability. This will apply to about 400 outlets, or two-thirds of all supermarkets in Singapore. 

FairPrice Group will be charging a flat 5-cent fee for each bag regardless of size, and across all its outlets, including convenience stores Cheers and FairPrice Xpress. 

The fee will not apply to non-carrier bags such as flat-top plastic bags for fresh produce, meat or seafood.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Dr Khor said: “This is really an important step in reducing disposables … in our journey towards a zero waste nation. 

“And indeed, we hope that shoppers will be more mindful of the number of disposable carrier bags that they take, and in fact better still, we hope that Singaporeans will inculcate the habit of bringing their own reusable bags.”

For checkout counters, a barcode will be placed at the corner of every monitor of each station. Customers will have to scan the barcode for each plastic bag they take, and the payment will be reflected on their receipts.