Grocery prices across Singapore rose 1.7% year on year in the first half of 2026, but at Bishan Community Club on Nov 7, shoppers paid 50% to 70% less than standard retail prices for frozen meats, canned goods and fresh produce, The Straits Times reported. The discounts drew hundreds of residents to the eighth edition of the Project Zero Waste Marketplace, where more than 20 vendors offered surplus and near-expiry items.
Bishan resident Angie Khoo, 53, loaded her bags with over 10kg of frozen pork chops, ribs and chicken at half price. “People talk about the cost of living. If you know where to look, you can actually find a lot of other (affordable) stuff out there,” said Khoo, general manager of a motor company.
Surplus Stock Drives the Eighth Marketplace
The ground-up initiative, launched in 2023, sells surplus goods, near-expiry food and products with imperfect packaging at steep discounts. Cans of baked beans went for $1 each, packs of steamed buns for $2, and one fruit stall let customers fill a box with any variety for $8.90. It’s held two to three times a year.
Sylvia Loh, chairperson of the Bishan East-Sin Ming Green Action Committee, said the marketplace evolved from a food rescue project that began in 2022. Volunteers initially gathered surplus donations from vendors and distributed them free monthly to residents, but later created the marketplace to help vendors recover part of their costs while raising awareness of their products.
Vendors Clear Stock While Families Save
Frozen food distributor CS Tay has participated since 2025, bringing items such as chicken midwings that expire in less than six months and would otherwise be rejected by supermarkets. “The company mostly clears its stocks at the marketplace,” said head of sales Karen Tan. “It also sees this as a form of charity, by helping lower-income families buy the products at affordable prices.”
Food distributor Lim Siang Huat sold ready-to-cook paste and instant noodles at prices below cost to prevent waste. “One customer actually bought a carton of noodles. He tried it the last time (at the previous marketplace) and liked it a lot,” said head of trade marketing Lissa Goh.
Food Waste Debate Reaches Parliament and Queenstown
The marketplace coincided with broader national efforts to tackle food waste. In a parliamentary debate in September on food resilience, MPs discussed ways to reduce waste amid rising food prices linked to hotter weather and Middle East conflicts. On the same Nov 7, about 100 volunteers at Queenstown collected donated items from drop-off points and handed them to charity Hao Ren Hao Shi for distribution to nearly 500 residents in need, as part of an annual drive coordinated by 10 community partners, 10 Residents’ Networks and six corporate partners.
How the Bishan Marketplace Works
How often is the marketplace held? The Project Zero Waste Marketplace takes place two to three times a year at Bishan Community Club. The Nov 7 event marked its eighth edition since the initiative began in 2023.
What items can shoppers expect? Vendors offer surplus goods, near-expiry food and products with imperfect packaging, typically discounted 50% to 70%. Past offerings have included frozen meats, canned baked beans at $1, steamed buns at $2, and fruit boxes for $8.90.
Who runs the initiative? The marketplace is organized by the Bishan East-Sin Ming Green Action Committee, a group of community volunteers who contact vendors to participate. It grew out of a food rescue project started in 2022.
Some residents traveled from Woodlands or Bedok to shop, with Loh noting that “especially with the rising cost of living, some might find it is a good time to stock up for their daily necessities or festive events.”
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