Talk about a sea change. At weddings 15 years ago, senior marketing manager Low Mei Lin and her husband were the only ones leaving their bowls of shark’s fin soup untouched. But not now.
At recent weddings she attended, more than half of the bowls of the traditional delicacy remained unconsumed on the banquet tables, shunned by those worried about its association with animal cruelty.
This is a turnaround for a dish that for generations has been a part of Chinese culture. Some young couples are now doing away with it entirely at their wedding celebrations.
The slippery slide of the gelatinous soup from treat to travesty is the fin edge of the wedge marking the rise of the ethical consumer in Singapore.
The trend hit headlines recently when NTUC FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain here, said it will stop selling shark’s fin products from April, following a public outcry.
But the trend is not just concentrated on shark’s fin.
Singaporeans from all walks of life are increasingly buying organic and fair trade products, wearing eco-friendly clothes, becoming vegetarian and doing their bit for the environment in general, going by growing sales of such items and the rise in businesses catering to these conscientious consumers, a check by LifeStyle has found.
Fuelling the green-is-good message is social media, which provides a platform for activists, and the fact that celebrities are making it hip to hug Mother Earth.
For example, popular entertainers such as Nikita star Maggie Q and Hong Kong singer Karen Mok have always been outspoken about their stance against wearing clothing made of fur.
A recent episode of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s travelogue, Gordon’s Great Escape, was a hot topic on Facebook for its focus on how sharks are slaughtered for soup. In the show, he also went to restaurants to implore diners not to consume the dish.
Mr Louis Ng, founder and executive director of local animal advocacy group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said: ‘Once people become aware of the issues, they will take action, so businesses need to be socially responsible if they want to win the consumer dollar.’
Noting that Singaporeans are becoming more aware and taking action, he added that Acres has 20,000 supporters on its database who volunteer to help with road shows and its undercover investigations into the illegal sale of exotic animal parts.
This is a far cry from when he started out 10 years ago and was considered a maverick of sorts. Back then, he had only a staff of nine including himself.
The warm fuzzies about furkids has been noted by Hong Kong-based Peta Asia Pacific, an affiliate of United States-based advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).
Singapore is one of the top countries that request information about animal welfare issues, such as how to make the transition to a vegetarian diet and where to buy cosmetics that are not tested on animals, said Peta.
As for shunning shark’s fin, other supermarkets making the move besides FairPrice are Carrefour and Cold Storage.
Luxury hotels have joined the non-feeding frenzy, including Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group, which announced last month that it would cease to offer shark’s fin as well as overfished species such as bluefin tuna and Chilean sea bass.
The list of hotels includes Fairmont Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel and Capella on Sentosa. Capella even gives incentives such as one night’s accommodation to bridal couples who eschew shark’s fin for alternatives such as fish maw soup.
Even Chinese restaurants such as Taste Paradise have noted more requests to swop shark’s fin soup in set menus. Owner Eldwin Chua said this trend started about two years ago and his staff usually accommodate such requests.
But saving animals is just one of many social causes Singaporean consumers are embracing.
Others hand over their dollar only if they are certain that the items they eat or use are organic and have not harmed the environment or that fair trade practices, where farmers are paid equitable amounts for their produce, have been observed.
Mr Jared Tham, for example, has been buying fair trade products such as tea, cookies and chocolate for more than five years. The 33-year-old, who does research and events for the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, said he was introduced to the concept of fair trade by his friends.
He pays a premium of 10 to 15 per cent on these products but says he does not mind because fair trade addresses important issues such as environmental protection and equitable wages.
‘I’m willing to pay more because fair trade reflects my values and I’m happy to do my part. Singapore is a nation of shoppers, so there is the potential for shopping to make a big difference,’ he added.
As for those keen to go organic, it is easy to find such produce at supermarkets here these days.
FairPrice’s range of organic products, which includes fresh produce, groceries and household items, has ballooned to more than 800 varieties from fewer than 200 in 1998.
Organic food is known to be more eco- friendly as fewer harmful pesticides are used in the farming process, while organic products such as shampoo do not contain synthetic chemicals that harm, for example, the water supply.
Sales of organic products at FairPrice’s selected supermarkets also soared by 35 per cent last year compared to the previous year, said Mr Tng Ah Yiam, the supermarket chain’s managing director of group purchasing, merchandising and international trading.
‘We have observed organic products gaining popularity among our customers in recent years, as they place greater importance on sustainable and ethical consumption and are also increasingly healthconscious and concerned about food safety and quality,’ he said.
Indeed, organic produce stores are now a more common sight in heartland areas and organic farms in Singapore have been doing brisk business, despite the fact that organic produce comes with higher prices. There are at least four organic farms and easily more than 20 organic grocers and retailers here.
For example, Quan Fa Organic Farm has seen sales increase by between 10 and 20 per cent every year since it started in 1999, said Mr Liao Junjie, 24, who helps his father run the place. This is despite the fact that a 250g packet of vegetables can cost $2, almost double the price of non-organic ones.
Mr Loh Teik Beng, who is in his 40s and runs a two-month-old organic grocery store called Country Farm Organics in the Jurong neighbourhood, said business at his outlet has been good.
‘Customers are already very aware and knowledgeable about organic products,’ he said, noting that most of them are Singaporeans aged between 30 and 50. The brand also has outlets in other heartland areas including Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Marine Parade.
And the responsibility revenue stream does not stop at food.
Four-year-old cosmetics store Bud, which specialises in organic make-up as well as hair and body products, has enjoyed a spurt in sales of between 15 and 20 per cent each year. Mr Eric Chew, the owner of the stores which are located at Mandarin Gallery and Square 2, said that people are starting to wise up to the health benefits of organic products.
Guardian Pharmacy told LifeStyle that it has been bringing in popular organic brands of skincare, hair and body products, as well as supplements to meet increasing customer demand.
British-based department store brand Marks & Spencer reported that sales here of its fair trade products, such as coffee, tea, and sugar, have grown over the years, though it declined to reveal exact figures.
Even eco-fashion is cottoning on in Singapore.
Some fashion lovers are donning clothes made of bamboo - a material that is highly renewable because it is naturally pest-resistant, grows fast and can help rebuild eroded soil.
Ms Kim Rose Allen, 29, who runs a clothing shop at hipster hangout Haji Lane, said that a growing number of Singaporeans now patronise her store, compared to when she first started two years ago and saw mainly Caucasian customers.
‘They like the designs as well as the philosophy behind them. While the clothes may be more expensive than the usual cotton types, it is a small price to pay to be environmentally friendly,’ she said. The clothes in her shop range from $35 for a camisole or sleeveless tank to $139 for a dress.
Some jewellery designers here are also using their creativity to make pieces out of natural materials that would otherwise have gone to waste, such as wood shavings and leaves. Others, such as Goya Design, make bags out of recycled paper.
And one cafe group, Food For Thought, is providing a clever way to raise awareness about the environment. It does not charge for water but encourages customers to put money in a ‘water jar’. The funds collected will go to well-building projects in other countries.
It also shares mission statements about poverty, hunger and environmental issues on the cafe walls. A percentage of the cafe’s profits also goes to charities such as WorldVision.
The group started in 2007 with a small cafe in North Bridge Road that seats about 20. It closed that outlet and in December, opened a larger one at the Botanic Gardens that seats 300. It has another branch in Queen Street. Both are usually packed to the gills.
Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, 35, one of the cafe’s directors, said: ‘We primarily wanted a place that offered good food and served up good values on the side, and we are very happy and encouraged about how people are responding to that.’
