Supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice and ride-hailing platform Grab launched a new membership programme on Monday (19 March), two months after both companies signed a joint agreement.
The SCORE membership programme will allow customers to enjoy rebates on purchases at NTUC FairPrice outlets and discounts on Grab rides.
Benefits include a five-per-cent LinkPoints rebate for incremental expenditure above $100, complimentary Plus! membership, one free online delivery per month as well as 20 per cent off Grab rides – capped at $4 per ride, for up to 30 redemptions a month – and access to exclusive Grab events.
From now till 18 May, residents in Singapore can sign up for the programme at an early-bird rate of $18 for the first year. Subsequently, SCORE will be priced at $29.99 for the first year and $49.99 yearly thereafter.
SCORE’s launch at an NTUC FairPrice outlet in Lorong 4 Toa Payoh was graced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and NTUC Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing.
Speaking to reporters after the event, NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng said, “For now, we have no immediate concrete plans to see who will be next (to partner the programme), but definitely, there are many (partners) who are waiting to join us. What will drive our decision will be based on what we feel our customers will like to have.”
A survey, conducted by social enterprise NTUC Link last year, found that almost 95 per cent of over 1,000 NTUC FairPrice shoppers expressed openness to signing up for subscription services.
The top two services that respondents – aged between 20 to 40 – wanted to enjoy benefits on were groceries and transport. Other categories that were rated included electronics, apparel, petrol and telecommunications.
Grab Group CEO and co-founder Anthony Tan said that the introduction of SCORE will not affect the availability of Grab promotion codes for non-subscribers. The firm may also extend the programme to cover its upcoming GrabCycle marketplace platform, which will allow customers to rent bicycles and e-scooters from oBike, GBikes, Anywheel and Popscoot.
Added Tan: “Given that GrabCycle is part of the Grab ecosystem, it is safe to assume that we would want to extend (the programme) to all of our services.”
Ho Wei Chin, who visits NTUC FairPrice up to twice a week and on average spends more than $100 per trip, told Yahoo News Singapore that she is satisfied with the rebates and benefits from her NTUC Plus! Rewards credit card.
“I usually take public transport when I am out with my kids, and my husband also drives,” said the 37-year-old homemaker. “The programme is catered more towards working personnel.”
Koh Phuay Yong, a 66-year-old homemaker who shops at NTUC Fairprice daily, said in Mandarin: “My children and in-laws may help me to sign up for the programme as they are the ones who call for Grab rides.”
E-commerce websites Amazon and Lazada had launched similar membership programmes in Singapore last year.
Amazon’s Prime membership programme offers consumers free international shipping for orders above S$60 for items listed on its US store and free two-hour delivery on orders over S$40 from its local selection. Customers pay an introductory monthly fee of S$2.99, down from $8.99.
Lazada’s LiveUp programme, launched in April last year, offers rebates and discounts for online supermarket RedMart, Netflix, Taobao Collection, Uber Eats and Uber. First-year membership is S$28.80 per year, and $49.90 yearly thereafter.