Buying masks or haze-related items on the secondary market? Be careful, says CASE
Some retailers are facing a temporary shortage of N95 masks.
Singapore's consumer watchdog, CASE, has warned consumers to exercise caution when purchasing masks and air purifiers from the secondary market, particularly through social media platforms, as sellers on these platforms may not be verifiable. The advisory was shared on Facebook by CASE president Melvin Yong on October 17, as some retailers face temporary shortages of N95 masks and air purifiers due to the worsening haze situation in Singapore.
Despite this, major retailers have sufficient stock and are actively replenishing supplies at affected outlets to meet consumer demand. Yong advised consumers to avoid overbuying masks in large quantities once stocks resume. He also cautioned against purchasing items online from dubious deals, as they could be scams, and encouraged consumers to use the Price Kaki platform to monitor and compare prices of haze-related products from different retailers.
Local retailers have seen increased demand for masks and air purifiers, with some capping purchases to manage the surge in demand. Singapore's air quality has been poor since October 5, with the country enduring its longest continuous stretch of poor air quality since the 2015 haze crisis.
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