SINGAPORE — NTUC FairPrice is launching 300 new products under its housebrand in the next 12 months, after its own market research showed that shoppers want a greater variety of housebrand products, not just basic items.

The new range of housebrand products, being rolled out from Tuesday (Oct 8), include breakfast items, such as cereals and cereal bars, higher quality cooking ingredients, such as coconut oil, pasta sauces and specialty rice options.

The move to expand the housebrand range followed a survey which found that FairPrice's customers want more than just basic household products under its housebrand.

Another study FairPrice conducted, involving more than 400 participants, found that three in four shoppers — across all income groups — are open to purchasing housebrand products, ranging from staples to non-food items.

FairPrice said the refreshing of its range of 2,000 housebrand products involved an end-to-end process from consumer research, to partnering with suppliers and manufacturing, to packaging and design.

The first phase of the refreshed FairPrice housebrand range was launched on Tuesday across all FairPrice stores.

But the prices will remain the same for many products. FairPrice initiated a price freeze on a basket of 100 of their FairPrice housebrand products until the end of June next year “to protect Singaporeans from any price fluctuations regardless of changes in supply and external factors,'' it said in a press release.

The basket of items was selected based on popular daily essentials purchased, which include rice, oil, toiletries, beverages and household cleaners.

The first 30 products that have been revamped and are already available in its new packaging include cooking essentials like the FairPrice canola oil and FairPrice Thai hom mali rice.

Other non-food products include the FairPrice soft facial tissues and FairPrice adult diaper pants.

FairPrice has been conducting an in-depth consumer study over the past year, which revealed that consumers value quality and generally do not purchase a product if its perceived quality is low, even if it is cheap.

FairPrice housebrand products are sourced from over 55 countries around the world, including Singapore, Italy, Australia, Canada and Japan, and are certified by internationally recognised food safety and quality standards, it stated.

Housebrand products are also priced 10 to 20 per cent lower than comparable national branded products.

The new packaging is “designed to better reflect the quality attributes of its products, country of origin and nutritional value, to help consumers make better-informed purchase decisions,” it stated in the press release.

Consumer engagement activities, such as product sampling, will also be held to ensure the quality of its products, it added.

Ms Grace Chua, NTUC FairPrice’s managing director and deputy head of products, said: “FairPrice household products were introduced 34 years ago to help families stretch their dollar without compromising quality. It also helped keep prices of daily essentials in check. To continue to fulfil our social mission, our housebrand products must remain relevant to the evolving needs of consumers.”