{
  "id": 14899861,
  "title": "Some retailers capping purchases of N95 masks as haze drives surge in demand",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/some-retailers-capping-purchases-of-n95-masks-as-haze-drives-surge-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T07:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/some-retailers-capping-purchases-of-n95-masks-as-haze-drives-surge-in-demand"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Retailers are implementing purchase limits on N95 masks in Singapore due to a surge in demand driven by the worsening haze situation. Two prominent pharmacy chains, Guardian and Watsons, have introduced daily restrictions on mask purchases. Guardian is limiting customers to two boxes of surgical masks and five N95 masks per person daily, while Watsons has not yet imposed purchase limits. However, both retailers are reporting out-of-stock situations for N95 masks at various stores. Pharmaceutical chain Watsons reported a significant increase in demand for face masks over the past month. Unity pharmacies, part of the FairPrice Group, have also experienced a slight uptick in N95 mask demand. FairPrice has restricted N95 mask purchases to one box per customer. The haze has driven the demand for filters designed to block fine airborne particles, with some listings on second-hand marketplaces offering bulk packs of N95 masks for prices up to $150. The Singapore government has launched relief measures, including distributing N95 masks through community clubs and deploying mask vending machines.",
  "summary": "Guardian has introduced daily purchase limits across both its outlets and online platforms.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}