Ministry to back chain of low-cost dept stores
The Commerce Ministry has initiated a plan to help a private business establish a chain of low-cost department stores to help alleviate the cost of living.
The first shop will be opened in May, with a target of opening 14 of them this year and to 142 within five years. The name of the enterprise involved cannot be revealed yet.
"The ministry will only be a coordinator in helping this private enterprise set up the low-cost department stores, while the investment will be the firm’s own," Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya said. "The only aim is to provide an alternative channel to provide low-priced foods and products for consumers."
According to the plan, the ministry will help find suppliers of low-cost products and promote the shops.
The stores will reduce packaging and decoration of its products and keep down operating costs so it can offer low-price goods to consumers.
Chatchai said the new low-cost chain should not affect traditional retailers or convenience stores as it would only be an alternative for consumers concerned about the cost of living.
As another effort to help out low-income earners, the ministry will also launch a leaflet, mobile application or Facebook page to advise consumers on where to buy cheap goods.
In addition, to address the problem of high food prices, the ministry will meet next week with modern traders to ask for their cooperation in reducing prices and lowering vendors’ operating costs such as food-court rental fees.
The ministry will also provide mobile units to sell cheap essential goods in communities nationwide. For this year, it aims to launch 2,000 of these units.
Other activities planned for this year include back-to-school fairs and cheap-eggs festivals in particular periods.
