$5 ‘privilege’ rate sparks outrage as Link REIT ends free parking offer

Link Reit is set to cut its long-standing free parking promotion across its 121 locations, sparking outrage among consumers who see the move as a stealth price increase. 

According to a notice issued on Monday, the group will end its free parking offer on April 8, which will be replaced by a new arrangement, where shoppers who spend a designated amount can park for a discounted rate of HK$5 per hour.

The change has been met with fierce criticism online, with many fearing it will set a precedent for other major malls to follow and cut similar benefits.

Under the current system, a customer spending HK$300 can receive two hours of free parking. If one of the receipts is from a restaurant, they are granted an additional two hours, totaling four hours for free.

With the new arrangement, that same customer will have to pay HK$20 for the four-hour stay.

In its notice, Link Reit stated the new arrangement aims to provide competitive parking offers to customers and maintain overall service standards.

To ease the transition, the company will offer a HK$5 parking voucher to customers who use the new program between April 8 and May 7. The voucher can be used on a subsequent visit before May 31.