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Consumer watchdog Case launches price comparison app for groceries, hawker food Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/case-launches-price-comparison-app-for-groceries-hawker-food Users of the app can search for an item, find the retailer offering the lowest price and be alerted to any price changes.PHOTO: THE CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE SINGAPORE - Want to know which supermarket is offering a promotion on your favourite brand of milk, or where to head for the cheapest carrot cake in your area? A new mobile app by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) aims to help consumers stretch their dollar by allowing them to compare prices of groceries and hawker food. Price Kaki, to be rolled out later in September, will compile prices provided by partner businesses as well as shoppers. Consumers can earn rewards such as grocery, movie and transport vouchers for contributing in-store retail prices and promotions they come across, which must be verified with photo evidence. Users of the app can search for an item, find the retailer offering the lowest price and be alerted to any price changes. They can also look up nearby supermarkets and hawker centres, or even search by dish to find the nearest stalls where they can get their fix, and how much it costs. The app, which will be available for download on Apple's App Store and Google Play from Sept 28, will be trialled first for businesses in Jurong West, Tampines and Toa Payoh before being extended to the rest of the island in early 2020. A total of 31 supermarket outlets and 11 hawker centres will part of the trial. These include the hawker centres at Our Tampines Hub, Toa Payoh West Market and Food Centre, and Boon Lay Place Market and Food Village. Details were shared by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Industry Tan Wu Meng during Case's annual fund-raising lunch on Tuesday (Sept 10). Dr Tan, who announced the development of the app during the debate on his ministry's budget in March, said in a speech at One Farrer Hotel that the crowdsourcing app empowers consumers to share and more easily access price information. "It is like a network of 'kakis' (friends) to share tips on shopping, exchanging knowledge on the best deals," he said. For a start, about 3,000 frequently purchased grocery items such as milk, rice, and eggs will be listed on Price Kaki, using price information refreshed daily by FairPrice, Giant, Sheng Siong and Prime Supermarket. Case said it will work with the supermarkets to ensure that information is up to date. Case president Lim Biow Chuan said that the non-profit organisation hopes to empower consumers by "equipping them with information so that they can make informed purchasing decisions," and added that it will be launching more such initiatives with the support of the Trade and Industry Ministry.