Supermarkets popular choice for e-voucher spending

Despite criticism of price hikes and calls to boycott local supermarkets, 1 in every 5 patacas spent using the e-voucher has gone to the supermarket industry over the first five days of card use, the Macao Economic Bureau (DSE) announced yesterday. As far as transaction quantity is concerned, the industry is ranked second, with the most money spent in the food and beverage industry.
Supermarkets were criticized by netizens this week for allegedly taking advantage of the e-voucher scheme by raising the price of their merchandise right at the start of the scheme.
The e-voucher, widely referred to as the consumption card, is a project initiated by the government in the hopes of helping small and medium-sized enterprises in the city with the impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has cordoned off cities and suspended travel due to border closures, quarantine measures and social distancing requirements.
The first five days of card use has generated MOP295 million in the market, in a total of 2.37 million transactions. The supermarket industry alone has absorbed 22% – which equates to MOP65 million – of the city’s e-voucher income in the said period.
The majority of the residents have opted to use the card when they dine, as nearly one in three e-voucher transactions went to the food and beverage industry, which has generated MOP63 million from 653,000 transactions.
Many have also used the card to purchase electrical appliances. Some MOP26 million has been spent in this industry in slightly more than 94,000 transactions. The industry has benefited from the third-highest proportion of money spent relating to the scheme.
The first phase of the scheme, which started on May 1 and will be in effect until July 31, will put MOP3,000 into each registered Macau resident’s pocket, with a daily spending cap of MOP300. The second phase will start directly after, with an overall individual spending amount of MOP5,000. AL