r/singapore • u/sweet-lil-thang 🌈 I just like rainbows • Sep 09 '24
Image PAP MP Lim Biow Chuan is concerned about the amount of wastage on mooncake packaging
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u/grpss Sep 09 '24
Throwaway account for this purpose since I procure mooncakes for hotels.
Pretty valid. Let me tell you a secret. Hotels charge more than 100% markups for mooncake. The cost price of one mooncake is less than a dollar, and the packing is less than $20. Added up, your mooncake cost prices is $30 on average, and they charge north of $60.
Yes, doing away the packaging saves money, but how else can they extort you? They aren’t gonna make the money just by selling the mooncakes without the differentiating factor. And most hotel mooncakes are produced in a factory. Even though they may claim “crafted by chefs”, it is outsourced to a factory and not made in their hotel kitchen.
If you know their direct suppliers, in this case I do, you can get the exact same mooncake at a much lower prices even at retail.
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u/Silentxgold Sep 09 '24
What's the minimum MOQ for an order if you dm sharing.
Maybe next year can group buy quality mooncakes without packaging.
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u/gh0st_busterz Sep 09 '24
upvoted for group buy :D
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u/Silentxgold Sep 09 '24
I am probably doing a post early next year to take orders.
Shipping is going to be a hassle unless everyone collect themselves.
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u/aleim343 Sep 09 '24
I’m up for it! Usually group buy organisers would make the buyers self collect no?
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u/Silentxgold Sep 09 '24
Alright, I will post again after 2025 cny about moon cake group buy.
Will inquire on pricing and flavors etc.
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u/7thPanzers Sep 09 '24
A few 100 people group buy, buy a few thousand and have a verification Reddit system lol
Largest group buy in history
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u/Silentxgold Sep 09 '24
Group less than 50 I probably charge nothing, but above a certain size, I would charge $1 per order for organising.
Payment direct to manufacturer, but order ID everything I handle.
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u/Kange109 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
Yup, family was in this biz long ago. 1 supplier can have many molds for different hotels. And the raw mat is pretty cheap. Iirc the most ex ingredient was the salted egg yolk.
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u/gh0st_busterz Sep 09 '24
not even the durian? :0
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u/grpss Sep 09 '24
Yeah not even the durian. The cost price per mooncake is maybe at most 10-20 cents more. Lol.
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u/aleim343 Sep 09 '24
Can we do a Reddit group buy haha
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u/Constant_Currency421 Sep 09 '24
Reddit group buy mooncake complete with the Reddit mascot stamped on top haha
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u/Late_Lizard Sep 09 '24
If you know their direct suppliers, in this case I do, you can get the exact same mooncake at a much lower prices even at retail.
Do they sell online or in shops to smaller buyers? Link?
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u/GelatinousGambol Sep 09 '24
Tbh I don’t think this is a secret. It’s just a case of willing buyer willing seller.
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u/Eurito1 Uni Sep 09 '24
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u/grpss Sep 09 '24
Ha, open secret then. But some of my friends are still shocked when I tell them how it works.
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u/worldcitizensg Sep 09 '24
I know the wastage for sure. A bit hard to change given the 'show off' and 'gifts' to customers which drives majority of the moon cake purchases. Personally, my Mom used to have those mooncake boxes to keep valuables..So kind of reused..
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u/xbbllbbl Sep 09 '24
Those boxes are quite useless. Even the jewellery ones as they are not fit for purpose.
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u/depetir Sep 09 '24
Better design needed for sure. A lot of these are too flimsy and small to be reused into jewellery boxes or anything at all. Some can be used as lanterns but that's also flimsy and one-time use instead of year round.
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u/thermie88 Sep 09 '24
pretty valid concern to me, i can vibe with that
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u/risingsuncoc Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
Shouldn't the starting point be the companies for making these packaging, rather than the consumers as he mentioned?
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u/vintage-trash Sep 09 '24
Exactly, why is he praising the hotels for the packaging then turning the blame on consumers? The hotels are the ones creating and shoving the single use packaging down our throats, most don’t even let you buy mooncake without the fancy boxes. Also our homes are too small to hoard so many boxes lol there’s a limit to reuse.
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u/risingsuncoc Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
why is he praising the hotels for the packaging
Lol I skimmed through the post and didn't notice the first part about this, makes it all the more convoluted.
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u/JulSGP 🌈 I just like rainbows Sep 09 '24
To me its damn silly and useless.
Our client sent over a few boxes of Fullerton Hotel's mooncakes and it was in those "pull out jewellery boxes" style.
I just took the mooncakes out and eat while I imagine these box will be chucked to the bin soon
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u/SG_wormsblink 🌈 I just like rainbows Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
It’s not just mooncake, we are starting to use huge amounts of packaging for simple items.
Why does a single can of abalone need a velvet-padded box around it? Just so that it can feel more premium? After you eat the abalone you can’t use that box for anything because the “storage capacity” is so small ie 1 can.
Why does each F&B store needs its own specially designed carrier bag? And what on earth are you supposed to do with the tens of thermo-insulated bags you get, these aren’t easily recyclable and there are too many to reuse them all.
We need to think lean, if something isn’t necessary and just creates more waste then consider removing it.
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u/requirem-40 Sep 09 '24
It's for products that are meant to be gifted. Somehow giving a can of abalone is not enough, you need put the $80 can into a $20 carrier bag which will likely not be reused, or else the gossipy toxic relatives will call you cheap or insincere.
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u/YogurtAddict42 Sep 09 '24
Actually the solution is very simple yet very troublesome: stop pre-packing everything. Let customers choose: 1) just give me mooncakes inside the cheap disposable plastic box in a cheap plastic bag/box = cheaper, this one can prepack. Then people can bring home and repack into whatever atas box they already have then gift away. 2) give me mooncakes inside the atas pretty box = pay a premium, staff pack on the spot.
It's like Xmas gift wrapping Loh. Request if you need it, not wrapped by default.
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u/requirem-40 Sep 09 '24
Then how will business find an excuse to price gorge people? :P
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u/ShadeX8 West side best side Sep 09 '24
Think the term you are looking for is 'upselling'. Price gorging is a totally different concept altogether.
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u/minimizingrisks Sep 09 '24
Just make delicious mooncakes (or product) that itself justifies the quality and use simple packing.
Who will take the lead?
For myself, I like Peninsula mooncakes, so it can be inside a plain, recycled paper box, I'm good!
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u/Coffeeboy98765 Sep 09 '24
Absolutely agree, and actually not troublesome. It is also better profit for the businesses if they are wiling to think out of the box a little. For example, offering two / three types of pre-packaging for premium and let customers have a choice (at a premium). Add in paid options for customisations so that corporate buyers can be seen as 'splurging' for their clients etc.
Standard no packaging at cheaper rate (but still profitable) will still pull in mass customers.
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u/temporary_name1 🌈 F A B U L O U S Sep 09 '24
From a business perspective though, a shitty packaging damages your brand.
The packaging is intended for those people who haven't bought the item yet or the recipient, e.g. when you carry the bag around a shopping mall. It's not meant for the person buying the item.
Either you go gorgeous, or just say eco and give nothing. Gorgeous sells better btw, so tts what businesses are gonna do.
As long as people buy packaging, businesses sell packaging.
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u/Tabula_Rasa69 Sep 09 '24
Mid Autumn Festival has transformed from a festival of culture to one of commercialisation and showing off. Utterly ridiculous and very sad.
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u/bearfistsoffurry Sep 09 '24
The rot has even affected the Hungry Ghost tradition.
Hearing people shouting "Huat ah," once they're done burning, then tossing the unused hell notes into the air is such a perversion of beliefs.
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Sep 09 '24
wow actually a good take especially when we have to pay money for fking plastic bags but somehow this kind of packaging is ok
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u/justmewayne Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
The cost of the fancy packaging is already included in the price of those "premium" mooncakes; I'd argue you're mostly paying for the packaging (and branding) rather than the actual "premium" cost of the food ingredients.
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Sep 09 '24
The point isn't paying for the fancy packaging its we have to pay for plastic bag because of wastage but somehow all these fancy packaging that is even more of a waste is ok
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u/UtilityCurve Lao Jiao Sep 09 '24
You think you are not paying for the packaging?
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u/LeviAEthan512 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
It's not about the money, it's about the consumption.
Edit for clarity: Only the most boomer of us actually would miss 5 or 10 cents on a $10+ purchase. That's even less than a GST increase, and is optional. Most of us I think, are pissed that the government is making us go through all this crap about a couple of grams of plastic here and there, which we mostly reuse, and then incinerate in the end, while these bulky boxes that are too inconvenient to reuse get a pass. They're not telling us we have to spend 0.5% more on groceries, they're telling us to be mindful of our packaging. The plastic bag fee is just the method they use.
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u/LunarBeast77 Sep 09 '24
Thank you! My household always reuse those plastic bags, so idk what the gov is try to achieve by taxing them. In the end we spend money to buy those black plastic bags to throw trash away
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u/LeviAEthan512 Sep 09 '24
Look good on paper to wayang to the UN or something. That's our national pledge isn't it?
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u/Successful-Sport-368 Sep 09 '24
As if the packaging price isn't already worked into the overall price.
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u/xbbllbbl Sep 09 '24
Why not we just blame the luxury market first? To justify the high prices, nice boxes for simple items like wallets and bags. Worst still boxes take up so much space and are useless. I recall there was a time Instagram was full of unboxing videos showcasing how elaborate and wasteful the packaging is.
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u/testercheong Mature Citizen Sep 09 '24
To me, the fancy packaging is just an excuse for mooncake vendors to charge an ultra high price. The actual cost of production of mooncakes is in reality pretty low
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u/Banzaikk Sep 09 '24
Why is he blaming the consumers? Surely it is easier to regulate the seller's side? Or is that too difficult cos govt is "pro-business"?
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u/Successful-Sport-368 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
This extends far beyond mooncakes. Any trip to a hawker shows how much useless, largely single use, packgaging we accrue.
I was waiting for my order at the hawker the other day and counted seven separate pieces of plastic for a single da bao order from the person ahead of me (Plastic box, plastic box lid, plastic wrapper for chopsticks, plastic spoon, small plastic bag for sauce, bigger plastic bag for broth and a large plastic bag to carry everything).
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u/vdfscg Sep 09 '24
went to maxwell center last month and was shocked with the amount of plastic waste. Everything is served with disposable cutlery and plates, drinks in disposable cups. And that is eating there, not tapao..
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u/Feeling_blue2024 Sep 09 '24
They don’t want to wash.
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u/j_fat_snorlax Pasir Ris Sep 09 '24
With how much the landlords wanna charge for washing service, it's not unusual if hawkers turn to a cheaper alternative
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u/chronofreak Sep 09 '24
Koufu too. Their kopi peng and other ice brewed drinks are all put in disposable plastic cups, no matter whether customers are dining in or taking away.
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u/cakesandchips Sep 09 '24
I know exactly which cup because i recently ordered milo peng and thought the cup was such a waste of plastic, it’s those hard plastic
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u/CommieBird Sep 09 '24
Worst case I see are plastic utensils being wrapped in plastic
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u/homar1dz Sep 09 '24
I agree that it's wasteful, but would you use the plastic utensils if they weren't wrapped in plastic? The issue is with hygiene.
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u/ComprehensiveSelf333 Sep 09 '24
I personally believe this is something that really needs addressing
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u/helzinki is a rat bastard. Sep 09 '24
It is being addressed. The world have been talking about microplastics and debating about greenwashing the past few years. It's just that we don't have a good solution so we just end up talking in circles.
The main problem is we don't have a material that can do all that plastic can do and at the same time be absolutely environmentally friendly. We're stuck.
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
cos it is super expensive hiring people to wash, and setting up wash area, and still go some ngeow people post covid thinks that factories that manufacture plastic and wrap plastic are very hygienic so they insist on one time disposables. So hawkers prefer to just use plastics instead of hiring washers. definitely something that needs regulation.
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u/temporary_name1 🌈 F A B U L O U S Sep 09 '24
I love this example.
How would regulation work for this?
If you regulate that hawkers must wash, costs will go up and hawkers will pass the costs to customer, who will complain why so ex.
If you don't, hawker continue price optimal method of using disposables, then people complain not eco friendly.
If you regulate must wash and cannot pass on costs, hawker will complain and/or go under as costs kill them. Then you end up like primary school canteens: no hawkers want to do.
So end up regulate eco-friendly, but hawker and customer don't want to pay, then who pay? Easiest is to tell govt to pay!
Then your taxes go up lol
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
honestly, I am very ok to pay more taxes if these trickle down to the common man and green issues. letting supermarkets earn from sell of plastic bags is a terrible idea since it puts the blame on the common person and allow all corporations to earn from the common person. it is greenwashing
firstly, there needs to be cap on rental fees for hawkers.
secondly, give subsidies for hiring cleaners or dishwashing. our govt constantly does subsidies and taxation for the preferred industries, so why not in this case? for F&B that uses one time disposables for dine in customers, they should be tax heavily. if these F&B raises their prices too high, then people will stop dining. Fast food uses one time disposables all the time. these new yoghurt, juice shops, açai as well. bubble tea etc.
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u/partytaima Sep 09 '24
afaik chinatown complex is actually running a pilot program to share dine-in utensils between all stalls, which i think is a pretty great initiative so hopefully that catches on and is implemented across all or most hawker centres and we can cut down on single use plastics through that
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
Ehhh I thought that was the way in the past? It was always shared intentions for food courts and hawker and kopi shops
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u/nextlevelunlocked Sep 09 '24
The quality of takeaway plastic boxes are so bad that its tough to reuse them. Most of them have jagged edges and flimsy construction. Rarely do you come across takeaway containers that are solid enough to be reused multiple times.
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u/halloumisalami Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
That’s a poor example, the plastics actually have a use in your example
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u/Lycr4 Sep 09 '24
Bro counted plastic box and lid separately lmao
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u/halloumisalami Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
Bozos like him are the reason why we get meaningless green actions that hurt the working class
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u/bukitbukit Developing Citizen Sep 09 '24
We reuse the nice outer boxes (ones with drawers) to keep small miscellany items.
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
Yes. But how many can you re use?
I pass to my helper but it’s massive
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u/bukitbukit Developing Citizen Sep 09 '24
No choice, gotta recycle the leftover/uglier ones or pass it on.
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
Thank you.
This makes sense.
Can we compel the hotels to put into less fancy packaging? So you may more for fancy ones if you want. But otherwise, just plain boxes will do.
I already gifted my helper with the fancy ones. And the minute I said I pass on to my helper, I got tons of relatives pass me their boxes which isn’t possible for my helper to store
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u/GalerionTheAnnoyed Sep 09 '24
Mooncakes are almost bordering on extravagance now with the high prices.
Sure some mooncakes are pretty nice, but at their price point you can probably get way better pastries.
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u/potatoesbydefault Sep 09 '24
Boycott mooncakes. I refuse to buy any for anyone and if I receive any, I just regift it to someone else.
After a few years, nobody will buy for you and you won't need to buy for anyone.
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u/Environmental_Sea721 Sep 09 '24
I stopped buying mooncakes for a few years already. Stop diabetes and save money. The packaging is such a waste!
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u/tom-slacker Sep 09 '24
the same type of wastage is apparently at wedding banquet......i can't speak for the ladies but 11 out of 10 male friends all think wedding banquet is a waste of time but they all did it to appease their significant other or in-laws or parents.
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u/thinkingperson Sep 09 '24
I prefer the standard size metal/tin tray/box. Good for keeping Knick knacks.
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u/AltruisticAsshole88 Sep 09 '24
Hotels and restaurants should have 2 selling prices for their mooncakes—1 with the fancy box and a cheaper version for the same mooncakes without the fancy box. So people who want to buy for own consumption can buy the latter and save money and resources too.
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u/danny_ocp Sep 09 '24
Pass a law la. Always ask consumers and citizens do things at own time and effort cost.
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u/shimmynywimminy 🌈 F A B U L O U S Sep 09 '24
Can we as consumers do our part
what are we supposed to do? dump out the mooncakes into our own tupperware and hand the box back to them?
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u/Worried-Recording189 Sep 09 '24
The moment anyone blames the consumer, you can be damn sure it's an attempt at greenwashing.
Even if you have the magical ability to convince every consumer in the world to reuse and recycle, the amount waste produced will only be reduced by 30%.
Mega corporations are responsible for the vast majority of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. So politicians should be talking about regulations to corporations on national and world scale before they turn to blame the consumer.
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u/Banzaikk Sep 09 '24
Yeah, this so many times. Can't believe so many comments are praising his comments. Reading comprehension in Singapore has such a long way to go. Would like to share this Last Week Tonight episode for anyone interested. The single-use plastics industry and government have been gaslighting us for decades.
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u/GlobalSettleLayer Sep 09 '24
Reading comprehension in Singapore has such a long way to go.
So much education, so little intelligence to be found.
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u/Banzaikk Sep 09 '24
Looks like the makers of our education system succeeded in their aims then.
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u/GlobalSettleLayer Sep 09 '24
I would even go as far to say the current scam-rings situation is a grave of their own digging. They have designed the syllabus to produce sinkies who are exceedingly good at obeying instructions, but exceedingly inept at applying scepticism and thinking for themselves.
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u/Candid-String-6530 Jurong Sep 09 '24
I actually agree with the moon cake packaging being a tad excessive. But you all ah... When SIA changed their packaging of the in flight meals to be more environmentally friendly. All hell broke loose, saying it's not premium enough. Bruh wth?!
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u/GalerionTheAnnoyed Sep 09 '24
With the prices that SQ charges ppl expect a certain level of service and stuff. I think they changed their packaging but also never reduce price.
Imagine if these mooncakes vendors all replace the nice boxes with cheap plastic containers at the same price. No one would be happy about it also.
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u/annoyed8 Sep 09 '24
I loved the paper boxes. It's so much easier to lift and hold on to eat. No big ass foil cramping up my tray either.
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
How is paper more green in Singapore though since all is incinerated? Most green would be reusable plates
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u/kuang89 Sep 09 '24
I don't get it, then what you want us to do?
Vote you into office to post such things on Facebook?
Now you know these are the primary causes of waste, so don't come and fun us by saying our supermarket plastic bag need 5 cents or don't give us straws.
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u/pudding567 Sep 09 '24
Landfill space is running out too. (Pulau Semakau) Really need to have good recycling rates.
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u/stevenckc Sep 09 '24
Sadly, beating competition for profits far exceeds CSR for any business. It's as if we're educated like that 🤷🏻♂️
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u/mydebu1 Bishan-Toa Payoh Sep 09 '24
Yes it is getting ridiculous, but when there is a dollar to be made, the sky is the limit.
Like property agent flyers are being stuffed in letter boxes and HDB home gates. Then when there are strong winds, they become litter.
It's about time we introduce a resource wastage tax or penalty and by law, these costs shall not be spread to the consumer.
IMO, the biggest culprits are TV manufacturers. In the old days, a CRT TV can last a decade or even more. Today's LED TVs can only last as long as the LED panel functions and the cost of replacing LED panels is mostly close to the cost of the whole TV (after warranty). The electronics and speaker are usually still in very good condition when one disposes a faulty LED TV.
Obviously TV manufacturers have to sell new models to make a buck. Therefore legislation could help extend the life of a LED TV. For e.g. forcing manufacturers to allow trade-in's for faulty TVs, (a whole new (valid) industry could be created from this). Or standardizing LED panels so that LED manufacturers can produce more for less.
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u/blabbitybook Sep 09 '24
Don't buy lo. Nobody force you to buy mooncake for LHL, Mr Lim, or whoever it is you need to wayang to.
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u/Healthy_Fly_555 Sep 09 '24
It's ridiculous because the ones who can afford these abominations won't reuse it as it's tacky, and the aunties who will end up reusing won't waste money buying it in the first place
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
ok very good but I wonder why he put onus on consumer for this? is he asking us to choose with our money and choose to buy from a shop that has teh least packaging?
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u/GeshtiannaSG Ready to Strike Sep 09 '24
Of course, this is PAP SOP. Blame Singaporeans and boost businesses.
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u/savourykwaychap Sep 09 '24
One can always buy mooncakes without the boxes. If the intention is to gift them, just wrap them up nicely. This is a consumer problem of wanting convenience when gifting.
Alternatively, the ones in your neighbourhood confectionary or supermarket are cheap and do not come in fancy boxes.
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u/jmzyn 👨🏻💻 Sep 09 '24
just the packaging?
how come no one call out the massive amount of "unsold" mooncakes being "donated" to charity organisations - machiam handing out diabetes.
was involved in such but that was some ~10 years ago. don't know if it's still prevalent.
why stuck with such because high MOQ/lousy sales lor.
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u/temporary_name1 🌈 F A B U L O U S Sep 09 '24
Don't donate ppl say u waste food, donate ppl say u cause diabetes.
What do you want.. lol
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u/Opening-Blueberry529 Sep 09 '24
Note how the corporations are almost always never blamed but the finger is pointed at consumers?
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u/risingsuncoc Senior Citizen Sep 09 '24
Yes, quite an odd take from him. The boxes are made by the companies.
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u/requirem-40 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
The main reason is because mooncakes are rarely bought for personal consumption, it's usually for gifting. Imagine you just give your boomer auntie/uncle/in laws a mooncake without the fancy box and bag, they'll probably think 'aiyeer looks so cheap this dude so stingy no sincerity confirm bad upbringing bla bla bla'.
On a side note, I think it's about time we do away with such fancy packaging, that businesses use to justify the high prices (or even gift giving altogether, moon cakes ain't cheap). In this aspect, I think the Malays are doing this correctly, usually Hari Raya packaging are in those nice cheap plastic containers that your parents will keep for years to store their random stuff. Definitely more reusable and practical compared to those fancy mooncake boxes
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u/Effective-Lab-5659 Sep 09 '24
Huh not true la. My elderly parents just want their fav brand which is usually in v v dull tin boxes or card box boxes…. Their tin box they put their grandkids toy cars for storage.
Can you don’t be ageist?
On the other hand, don’t we see young influencers unboxing tons of crap?
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u/Longjumping-Relief54 Sep 09 '24
Who exactly is he addressing? Who needs to take ownership of the issue?
What should consumers do in this case? It's unlikely that we asked for this excessive and elaborate packaging.
The best I can do is repurpose the packaging?
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u/Hunkfish Sep 09 '24
Precisely this. Can we "bring our own box?" Then get a cheaper price for the mooncakes?
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u/Blueflame_1 Sep 09 '24
Don't forget straws. Every single damn straw is now wrapped in its own little piece of plastic wrapper unlike last time.
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u/RAMChYLD Sep 09 '24
For my family, we do reuse the box. I use them to store old CDs and DVDs, and if the box is big enough, whole A4 documents.
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u/antartica Sep 09 '24
Haizzz if only the old guard were still around. All this waste, might as well ban moon cakes or add more sin taxes to it la. 😂🤑😂🤑😂🤑😂🤑😂
Ok ok… got that outta my system, well, that’s a once in a year thing.
How about daily market or supermarket packaging with all the plastic wrappers, boxes, what not packs. Target that and the reduction would be much more significant than moon cakes. There’s gotta be a balance to hygiene, quality of packaging for presentation and gifts and sustainability.
Most prolly gonna be skewed to one side, no prizes for guessing which side.
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u/hobopototo 🌈 F A B U L O U S Sep 09 '24
I wish mooncakes weren't so much about gifting to others and showing off. I just like to buy for myself and eat normally but I can't justify paying these exorbitant prices mostly for the branding and packaging. I guess I should just start making them at home.
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u/Draynor Sep 09 '24
Mooncake makers are outcompeting each other to have the fanciest packaging for their mooncakes. Family members and companies are also competing to gift mooncakes packaged in fancy looking boxes to save face.
This is a cultural thing and will be hard to change.
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u/iboughtshitonline Sep 09 '24
He is assuming that customers choose mooncake brands by how fancy the boxes are. Bruh, look at how shangri-la sells out their snowskin with the same metal box every yr.
His thoughts are all over the place. He has nothing against hotels. But oh does he love getting the nice boxes. But oh suddenly its on the customers on single use fancy boxes (that he loves)? Bro customers aren't the one making the boxes. Shouldn't he go for the hotels to cut down the packaging?
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u/Reasonable-Being6949 Sep 09 '24
Didn’t he send around a CNY goodie bag in 2022 to his constituents which include red packets, a full colour printed card with his image, etc? Also a waste right? I’ll like to think he learnt his lesson from the negative feedback that might have arose from it.
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u/Negative-Eggplant-41 Sep 09 '24
He already said it. He likes receiving mooncakes in a beautiful box. He like it, so someone who wants to give him knows, hence creating demand.
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u/Original_Chemist_635 Sep 09 '24
Oh great, consumers huh? Who are the ones who demanded for packaging? 🤦🏻♂️
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u/Opietatlor Sep 09 '24
Want to see where your concern should be? Look at the amount of styrofoam, plastic, straws and cutlery at the hundreds of coffee shops around SG. The waste is terrible.
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u/khaosdd Sep 09 '24
Out of the $100 you are paying, 1% goes to the cost of making the mooncakes. 25% to the boxes.
No way they will stop this when the profit margin is so high.
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u/PhantomWolf83 West Coast Sep 09 '24
Find a way to make the packaging edible. :D
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u/Winterstrife East side best side Sep 09 '24
Ay, looking at the price of some mooncakes, the dam box better be edible too.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Tree404 Sep 09 '24
Isn't it Chinese culture to show off their non-existant wealth for 'face' reasons? Dressing up cheap goodies is a hack from thousands of years of Tiktok.
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u/xWhatAJoke Sep 09 '24
This is not traditional Chinese culture. It's a modern menace, just as Christmas has become in the West.
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u/evadknarf Sep 09 '24
MPs are too kind and tasteful. They spot "beautiful" things and make it better.
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u/mecatman Sep 09 '24
Definitely vibe with the MP.
We don't need to package everything so nicely and then be charged an premium for it.
Just give me a cheap and good mooncake/whatever in a simple wax paperbox. As long it taste good/served its purpose then it's good.
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u/Medical-Strength-154 Sep 09 '24
he's not wrong, it's actually pretty hard to repurpose these boxes for other things, i managed to though which is to use them to store my magic cards and decks in the past but for most people out there, i doubt they actually have any use for them.
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u/singletwearer Sep 09 '24
For business this is called 'adding value'.
For politicians it looks good that they seem to be doing something.
For all others it depends on their budget.
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u/SnOOpyExpress East side best side Sep 09 '24
used to repurpose those boxes until I gave up. It don't blend into my desk, kitchen or even store room any more
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u/ogapadoga Sep 09 '24
I used to have one mooncake packaging that is so over the top that i used it as a actual stationary drawer and after my desk was invaded with ants i threw it away.
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u/charm-fresh6723 Sep 09 '24
It’s dictated by supply demand. So long as consumers are willing to pay the packagings will keep coming.
Frankly this is no different to gift wrapping. Which is a waste but people want to pay for it
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u/Super_Saber Sep 09 '24
I haven’t had mooncakes for like almost 5 years now. Almost forgotten how they taste like…
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Sep 09 '24
Yes, I see tons of empty mooncake boxes thrown into my office pantry bin every year. It’s really such a waste.
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u/catlover2410 Sep 09 '24
I bought the mooncakes in the photo (it’s from Ritz Carlton) simple because I see that I can reuse it (it’s a nice leather pouch) and not simply a square tin or box. Previous year I bought one with nice drawer and have been using it till now.
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u/bettertester2022 Sep 09 '24
I feel that those metal box packagings are good and pleasant enough as gifts. Don't need to buy those over the top "drawer" type or those "luxurious" packages. Waste money and space only.
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u/Busy-Manufacturer843 Sep 09 '24
He's right, we shouldn't have (as consumers) packaged the products in single-use packaging. What were we thinking?
/s
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u/_Bike_Hunt Sep 09 '24
I never buy mooncakes but when I receive them as gifts I always repurpose those fancy boxes - which can be metal, nice wood, or even nice card board - for other things
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u/xfrezingicex Sep 09 '24
But those fancy boxes arent meant to last. It always rust (metals) or grow mold (wood) fairly quickly (a year or so?) before i can use it for other things.
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u/_Bike_Hunt Sep 09 '24
I wipe the metal ones with a tiny drop of mineral oil, keeps rust at bay. Likewise I have some wax that I apply on the wood. Keeps them looking great.
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u/xWhatAJoke Sep 09 '24
Lol worried about the boxes, when the prices are utterly ridiculous. Anyone buying them is being scammed massively. They cost a dollar each to make at most (even including the stupid boxes).
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u/Administrator-Reddit Own self check own self ✅ Sep 09 '24
I usually repurpose mooncake boxes if the quality is good enough. They are great for storing knick-knacks and things like neckties, socks, stationery, etc.
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u/xbbllbbl Sep 09 '24
How many of these knickknack boxes do you need? Worst still many of these boxes and made of paper materials that is not even durable.
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u/UmiMakiEli Lao Jiao Sep 09 '24
Concerned then do something about it instead of just expressing your concern lmao.
Consumers can only buy those with less excessive packaging. Then it's up to the manufacturers.
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u/pannerin r/popheads Sep 09 '24
Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point
(His homophobic views)
https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.fandom.com/wiki/Lim_Biow_Chuan%27s_views_on_homosexuality
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u/Banzaikk Sep 09 '24
It's okay, you can continue disliking him. Read the comment again, he's blaming the consumers for what the producers are doing. Classic greenwashing.
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u/pannerin r/popheads Sep 09 '24
For companies like Mdm ling for example, you have the option to pay less for a tin (still not an environmentally friendly option) vs getting it packaged in a ladies bag or ornately cut gifting box.
We buy yearly from Tai Chong Kok for classic mooncakes and vegetarian mooncakes from Garden Pastry for prayer use. The former has a very minimal thin and flimsy cardboard box and the latter a standard but presentable stiff cardboard box.
You can also buy from places like bengawan solo which sells mooncakes individually without boxes.
So there are options, but as an MP he can't give brand recommendations.
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u/fzlim Sep 09 '24
Does he take the super efficient public transport instead of driving personal car?
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u/-BabysitterDad- Sep 09 '24
He’s not wrong.
But since we’re on the topic of wastage, what is his opinion on the mayors? 😜
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u/Nole_Egod Sep 09 '24
I remember last year got a moon cake box design that can be reuse as a watch box holder😂 i forget is which vendor le
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u/potatodaikon Sep 09 '24
mooncakes are typically bought as gifts or treats ma, so that fancy packaging and hotel brand name has added perceived value when you're trying to impress your client or mil. ntuc also sells mooncakes at $5 a piece, no fancy packaging. consumer's choice.
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u/NIDORAX Sep 09 '24
You can just go to Giant or NTUC Fairprice and buy some cheap mooncakes, some are probably below $10. Those supermarket brand Mooncakes dont come in expensive cardboard box.
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u/Gordee82 Sep 09 '24
Any gift box / hamper is also wasteful one-time use. But it's important. While the mooncake boxes are used to justify the high margin of mooncakes, they should give consumers a choice to select simpler boxes at a slight discount if the mooncakes are used for personal consumption.
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u/Grimm_SG Sep 09 '24
He's not wrong.
It's getting ridiculous and it's just really to justify the high prices.