29 September 2012 (Day 24):

Whenever my friends and I go over to the supermarket Vanguard, I can’t help but compare it with our own Singapore supermarkets. That is why, for today’s blog entry, I will write down my observations of Vanguard and compare it with Giant, a supermarket that is located near my home back in Singapore.

Vanguard Supermarket

 

In comparison with Giant, Vanguard is HUGE. It spans over 2 floors and has a staggering amount of goods on sale. From food, champagne and a bakery on the 1^st floor, the 2^nd floor sells clothing, personal hygiene goods, children’s toys, televisions and even cameras. Although Giant too, sells these items (except for the cameras), their range is not as big as those found in Vanguard. Also, the Giant in my neighbourhood covers only 1 floor.

It’s a bit hard for me to compare prices as not many of the brands found in Giant can be found here in Vanguard.

As to purchasing in Vanguard, customers are required to bring their own bags to carry their groceries in as the cashiers will not bother to pack the items for you. If you want a plastic bag, you will have to pay 0.3 RMB per bag. At this rate, I find it much more worth it to purchase a recyclable bag- It is more durable and I am able to stuff almost all of my groceries in. Although it is rather troublesome to grab all the items after you have paid for them, I find this a good way to “go green”.

The next thing I find so simple yet ingenious is the installation of short pillars, or posts, at the entrance (cum exit) to the supermarket. This prevents people from pushing the trolleys out of the supermarket since the carts are too big to squeeze through the posts. True that there is a big mess of trolleys scattered all over the carpark (which is located between the entrance and Vanguard) and near the entrance (cum exit), but at least Vanguard need not worry about lost trolleys becoming “works of art” around the housing estates, as it happens with Giant’s pushcarts.

 

The posts installed at the entrance (cum exit) at Vanguard

Perhaps both Giant and Vanguard can learn from each other. Giant could put up posts surrounding the entrances and exits to their supermarket thereby preventing people from taking the trolleys back home. Although Giant encourages the green initiative by reducing the number of plastic bags used, it will take quite some time before it will manage to follow Vanguard’s concept because Singaporeans tend to use these plastic bags for their dustbins and will complain to the cashier if no plastic bags are given.

Vanguard, on the other hand, could have an area where all the trolleys must be kept instead of being scattered all over the place and making it hard for vehicles to navigate through the carpark.

Hopefully, in time, we may see some improvements in Giant’s “missing pushcarts” situation.

Thanks for reading!

 

Best regards,
Marianne