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SINGAPORE – The authorities are cracking down on profiteers, following complaints that some businesses and individuals have been selling face masks for grossly inflated prices amid a surge in demand.
The Government’s Price Controller on Thursday (Jan 30) asked a retailer at 313 @ Somerset mall to explain the basis for the selling prices of its masks, giving it until next Monday to respond.
A packet of 10 surgical masks usually costs around $5 and 20 N95 masks cost about $40. But the masks sold at the Orchard Road store, Deen Express, are alleged to cost much more.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a statement that a letter of demand was issued to the retailer and it must provide information such as its cost price and profit margins or face a fine, though it did not state how much the shop had been selling masks for. Deen Express could not be reached for comment.
Letters of demand have also been sent to e-commerce platforms Lazada, Carousell and Qoo10 to request information on any potential profiteers on their platforms, MTI said.
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