Plastic Roll Incident at Chinatown Point Supermarket

A contributor shopping at the basement supermarket in Chinatown Point on Sunday afternoon told Town Tales Pro she watched a fellow customer pull an excessive number of produce bags from the communal roll near the fruit section — while a queue formed behind her.

"I counted at least twenty," the contributor, Ms Wong, said. "She was tearing them off one by one, folding them into her handbag. There were three of us waiting to grab a bag for our own groceries. The stall assistant saw everything and did not say a word."

Ms Wong said the incident lasted approximately three minutes. She took a photograph showing the woman at the bag dispenser with a visible stack of plastic bags in her hand. Ms Wong did not confront the woman directly but submitted the photo and account to Town Tales Pro because she felt the behaviour was unfair to other shoppers.

Why it matters

Communal plastic bag rolls at Singapore supermarkets are shared resources intended for wrapping fresh produce during shopping. Taking more bags than needed — particularly in large quantities — reduces availability for other customers and increases waste. Several NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage outlets have posted signs asking shoppers to take only what they need, though enforcement is rare.

"It is a small thing, but it is also a very Singapore thing," Ms Wong said. "We all share the same roll. When one person takes twenty, the rest of us stand there like idiots waiting for a refill that might not come until tomorrow."

Community reaction

The story has generated over 2,500 reactions, with commenters split between those who view the behaviour as selfish and those who argue that plastic bags are free and the contributor should have simply asked the woman to move aside. A smaller group suggested the supermarket should install bag dispensers with clearer quantity guidelines.

Town Tales Pro contacted the supermarket operator for comment on their bag policy. This article will be updated if a response is received.