Thank you, President. In recent years, people’s habit of purchasing fresh provisions has changed from traditional public markets to supermarkets and online shopping, resulting in a decline in demand, a high vacancy rate of stalls and a lack of competitiveness for public markets. In the face of changing consumption patterns, the Government should conduct a review and redeploy public resources promptly to reposition the value of markets. I would like to thank Mr YANG Wing-kit for proposing today’s motion and other Members for proposing the amendments so that we can discuss the future strategies of public markets.
As of the end of 2023, there were 74 public markets under the management of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (“FEHD”) with an occupancy rate of about 84%. Among them, the occupancy rate of the 446 stalls in the Tung Yick Market in Yuen Long is only 38%, which is the lowest in Hong Kong, followed by 46% in the Yee On Street Market in Kwun Tong and 54% in the Quarry Bay Market. However, there are obvious differences in demand in different districts, and many markets in various districts have an occupancy rate of 100%, such as the Wan Chai Market and the Lam Tei Market. Therefore, the Government must reorganize the layout of markets with a district planning mindset.
Since 2018, FEHD has closed seven public markets with relatively high vacancy rates and vacated the sites for other uses, such as transitional housing and elderly services run by non-governmental organizations. The Government must keep in view the utilization of existing markets, and in the short term of three to five years, transform old markets with high vacancy rates into integrated service centres providing medical and sports facilities for the benefit of the public.
For New Development Areas or districts in need, it is necessary to make long-term planning, reserve land for markets and introduce smart market design. Payment facilities such as Octopus, WeChat and Alipay should be comprehensively installed, economic incentives should be provided for stalls using electronic payment and the development of cashless payment should be accelerated to meet the needs of society in the future. For the general public, affordable prices and cleanliness are the most important aspects of a market, so it is important to avoid flashy and impractical designs. If the management fees of the new markets are expensive, stall operators will inevitably pass on the operating costs to consumers, which will ultimately result in more expensive prices in these markets than the neighbouring shops and thus, the gradual decline in the business of public markets.
In addition, markets generally operate in an “open early and close early” mode, with most of them closing before 6:00 pm. These opening hours overlap with the work hours of office workers, so there is no way for them to buy fresh fish or vegetables after work. It is suggested that some markets near transport hubs be selected to extend their business hours to 8:00 pm on a trial basis so that they can focus on serving after-work employees. Alternatively, a temporary stall mechanism can be introduced to allow online shops with food licences to move into vacant stalls by way of short-term tenancies, so that, online shop owners can try to operate the stalls at a low cost on the one hand, and the needs of dual-working families can be met on the other.
In the face of competition from supermarkets and shops selling “rice with two sides”, stall operators in markets must consider changing their operation and sales mode to strengthen their competitiveness. Leveraging their advantage of having access to a variety of fresh provisions in the market, stall operators can introduce “partially prepared food” to provide flexible and convenient services. They can prepare side dishes, seasoned and marinated meat, etc., to meet the needs of dual-working families in preparing quick meals.
Public markets must keep pace with the rhythm of life and the practical needs of the people in modern society for survival. By combining innovative business thinking and technology, we can ensure the proper use of these public resources and enable them to continue to demonstrate their value so that they will not be eliminated by society.
Thank you, President.