Big year-end discounts on way

The government is set to team up with wholesalers and retailers, which together have 13,500 branches nationwide, to cut product prices by 20%-80% to help reduce consumers’ expenses and stimulate the economy in the final month of the year.

Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said the Internal Trade Department has been assigned to discuss with retailers and wholesalers, including hypermarket and supermarket operators, the possibility of holding special promotions to spur spending among Thais and tourists during December.

“The ministry has cooperated with retailers and wholesalers to organise various activities to cut living costs since late 2015,” she said. “The campaign for this year-end promises special events with discounts as high as 80% for certain items.”

Mrs Apiradi insisted the discounts will be given to brand-new products, not those currently on sale. Products that will feature in the campaign include food and beverages, consumer goods, electrical appliances, garments and accessories.

The Business Development Department has also been instructed to talk with retail outlets under its supervision to participate in the year-end special discount programme, particularly for items like milled rice, instant noodles, vegetable oil, seasonings, detergent, dishwashing liquid, fabric softener, toothpaste and shampoo.

She said the ministry has also asked for cooperation from department stores and retail outlets to hold special events or sales promotions to stimulate rice purchases to help local rice farmers.

Retailers and wholesalers who are expected to participate in the scheme include the Thai Retailers Association, Siam Makro, the operator of Makro cash-and-carry store chain, Ek-chai Distribution System, the operator of Tesco Lotus hypermarkets, Big C Supercenter, Central Department Store, Robinson Department Store, Central Food Retail, the Mall Group, Tang Hua Seng, CP All, Foodland supermarket, Aeon (Thailand), Saha Lawson, Central FamilyMart, CPF Trading and TCC Logistics & Warehouse.

In a separate development, the savings and credit cooperatives of employees of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will support direct sales of rice from farmers, said Mrs Apiradi.

Flt Lt Kanok Thongpurk, vice-president of THAI, said farmers will be allowed to sell their products through all channels of THAI employees’ savings and credit cooperatives as well as THAI offices both in the provinces and Bangkok, including Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

Meanwhile, the Public Warehouse Organization and agricultural cooperatives have been instructed to open their spaces for farmers to sell their grain.