New 10-week consumption campaign to start Apr. 10

[Photo; Renato Marques]

The government and the Macao Chamber of Commerce (ACM) will launch a new round of a consumption campaign on April 10 aimed at boosting the local economy while offering discounts to consumers.

At a press conference unveiling the program, the acting director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), Cheang Hio Man, stated that previous editions of the “Grand Prize” campaign were widely recognized by the public and effectively helped stimulate the local economy and boost market confidence.

Citing survey data, she said that during previous campaign periods, both local consumption and the transaction volume of stores in community areas increased significantly. Cheang also added that the campaign has been widely supported by residents and merchants, noting its positive impact on stimulating local spending.

As previously called for by several civil society groups, the new community consumption campaign reverses the rules concerning voucher earning and spending periods. While in the past, vouchers were earned during weekdays and could only be redeemed on weekends, the new program will grant vouchers for spending on weekends, which can then be redeemed during weekdays, allowing residents more time to redeem them.

In the campaign adjustment, the DSEDT also decided to include Friday in the weekend period, with vouchers redeemable from Monday to Thursday. The campaign will run from April 10 to June 18 for 10 consecutive weeks. According to Cheang, the program’s total benefits (discount vouchers) are expected to reach around MOP400 million.

At the same press conference, ACM’s president, Frederico Ma, said that ACM will continue to support the initiative by sponsoring cash prizes. Following Cheang’s remarks, he highlighted the positive effects of the campaign for both residents and local small and medium enterprises, particularly those in the older districts.

“The program effectively attracts customer traffic and expands the customer base for local small and medium-sized stores, encouraging residents to shop in Macau and injecting dynamism into the local market, all of which increase business confidence among merchants and establish a solid foundation for this initiative,” Ma noted.

Also part of the program is an additional benefit for holders of a “Macau Pass for Persons with Disabilities” or a “Macau Pass for Senior Citizens,” who will be granted an immediate MOP500 discount without the need for any additional procedures or other cards.

As for the general procedures, they remain unchanged, with lucky draws taking place for each purchase of at least MOP50 made through a real-name-verified e-wallet at eligible merchants. In each draw, a consumer can receive benefits ranging from MOP10 to MOP200. To redeem a voucher, the purchase must be for a total value of at least three times the voucher’s face value; that is, MOP10 = MOP30 or more, MOP200 = MOP600 or more.

All unused discount coupons from the previous weekend will expire at midnight on the following Friday, marking the start of a new voucher collection round.