Supermarkets told to pass on subsidy benefits

The two leading supermarket chains that receive public subsidies will be required to either provide discounts for customers, or offer coupons for socially vulnerable groups, the Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said this morning.

In late July,  Dairy Farm Group, which operates,  Wellcome, Market Place by Jasons and convenience store chain 7-Eleven, received HK$399 million in wage subsidies for about 20,000 staff. 

Also, ParknShop, a member of CK Hutchison Holdings, got HK$161 million wage subsidies.

She also asked owners of large shopping malls to reduce rent.

Lam said that the second round of the employment support scheme will begin accepting applications from August 31, for two weeks. The measures will focus on elderly employees. Those over the age of 65 years with Mandatory Provident Fund accounts will get HK$5,000 a month in subsidies.

Applications in the first round of the employment support scheme is largely complete and HK$43.9 billion has been granted to 148,500 employers and 1.9 million employees.