Kuala Lumpur: Emart24 Holdings Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Vuitton Pang (pic) has claimed that sales of daily essentials at the convenience store chain fell by more than 25 per cent, while customer traffic declined by 20 per cent following the expansion of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme.
In a video shared on his Facebook, Pang, who oversees 110 Emart24 outlets nationwide, said the chain was facing pressure because customers could use Sara assistance at participating retailers but not at its stores.
He said the decline had affected not only sales of essential goods but also ready-to-eat and grab-and-go food offerings, while noting that he was not attributing the entire decline to Sara.
Pang said he supported government assistance to help Malaysians afford essential goods but questioned why consumers could not use the aid at stores selling the same approved items, calling for greater consideration of retailers excluded from the scheme.
Sara allows eligible recipients to purchase approved essential goods through participating retailers, which must meet requirements including business registration, a valid premises licence, a tax identification number, a point-of-sale system and stock from at least seven essential-goods categories.
