Singapore 'Green' sale offers deals, discounts

Month-long event aims to promote retail of eco-friendly products
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 22 Jun 12;

OVER 50 retailers are taking part in Singapore's first 'green' sale.

The month-long event aims to tap into the growth in environmentally-friendly shopping.

It will offer deals on products such as vegan burgers, organic cotton clothes and cosmetics made without animal testing.

The sale has been organised by Greenstore, a website that reviews and promotes ecologically- sound goods in the Republic.

Site founder Eugene Tay, 34, said he hoped to encourage more Singaporeans to shop with the environment in mind.

He added that the two main barriers to this are a lack of information about eco-friendly products available here and the perception that they are expensive.

So far, more than 350 people have signed up to receive e-mail updates about discounts at the Green Singapore Sale, which runs from today until July 22.

Mr Tay said he will organise the event every year, as long as people are interested.

Details of the stores taking part and their deals will be posted at www.greensingaporesale.com.

Fourteen local groups and organisations will also help to promote the sale. They include Green Drinks, a monthly meeting for environmentalists here.

Ms Sharon Tay, who opened a boutique called The Naturally Better Company in Millenia Walk with her sister Joyce in April, said more Singaporeans are becoming eco-conscious.

The shop sells organic skincare products, and plant and mineral-based household goods such as anti-bacterial sprays. It will offer a storewide discount of up to 30 per cent during the sale.

'Customers who come into our store read the products' list of ingredients carefully and ask us many questions about them,' said Ms Tay, 36.

She started selling the products online in 2008 before opening the brick-and-mortar store.

'While green shopping is not mainstream yet, it's definitely growing in Singapore,' she said.