Retailers hail govt’s year-end cash handouts to poor 

The Cabinet yesterday approved a Bt12.75-billion budget to subsidise the cost of living of more than 8 million low-income earners who have registered for welfare. 
Those making Bt30,000 per year or less will get a one-time handout of Bt3,000, while those earning Bt30,000-Bt100,000 per year will get a one-time dole of Bt1,500.
Salinla Seehaphan, director of corporate affairs at Tesco Lotus, said the move was good news, as it would ease the financial burden that this group of people is facing and would improve consumer sentiment. 
Generally, when public sentiment is good, it has a positive impact on retail spending. 
“Tesco Lotus has learned that Thais are still concerned about the cost of living, so we have reduced the prices of products that matter most to our customers, such as baby formula, diapers, UHT milk and fresh food,” she said.
Phattaraporn Phenpraphat, executive vice president for marketing and public relations at Central Food Retail, said it was a good measure to spur the economy at year-end and it was being presented as a New Year gift to the people.
“The measure will help stimulate consumption and spending, especially of the grass-roots people. It will help distribute income and cash in the system and that will have a positive domino impact on greater demand and the supply side in the market, especially for daily necessities,” she said.
She believes the measure will result in good shopping sentiment at the end of this year.
“I personally would like the government to issue such economy-stimulus measures continuously, as they will create jobs and income in both the agricultural and industrial sectors,” she said.
Central Food Retail, the operator of Central Food Hall and Tops supermarkets, is launching mega-projects to attract year-end shoppers, including gift baskets. 
It is buying hyacinth baskets from local communities, purchasing Otop (One Tambon, One Product) items, and buying organic products from communities to put in New Year’s hampers, as well as helping farmers sell their rice.
For the gift-basket campaign, the company will offer a special discount of up to 35 per cent and cash-back deals of up to 14 per cent.
The overall gift-basket market increased slightly in 2015 to Bt2.45 billion from Bt2.35 billion in 2014. 
Last year, Tops retained its leadership in the New Year gift-basket segment with a share of more than 30 per cent. 
It is expected that sales of Tops’ New Year gift baskets will grow by 20 per cent from last year.
Chamnarn Maytaprechakul, executive vice president of The Mall Group, said that from the social point of view, the government would help prevent trouble in society. And in the current economic situation, the measure would be another positive factor for the sale of staples. It would definitely have a good impact on the retail industry.
The Mall Group’s supermarket brands Gourmet Market and Home Fresh Mart are allocating more than Bt20 million to lead the premium holiday-hampers market with the “Blissful Hamper 2017” campaign.
The campaign, running from today to January 15, offers a cash-back promotion of up to 40 per cent as well as zero interest for six months.
Supawut Chaiprasitkul, general manager for supermarkets at The Mall Group, said that last year the company sold 160,000 hampers worth Bt250 million. 
“This year, we expect to sell 180,000 hampers worth Bt270 million. Most sales come from general hampers, while luxury hampers make up about 25 per cent of sales.