Letters | Coronavirus in Hong Kong: watch out for profiteering as HK$36 billion spending voucher scheme launches
- With so many billions in spending about to hit the market, businesses and shop owners may have a perverse incentive to raise prices. The government should not allow this to happen
A lot of shopping malls and other businesses have joined the plan, with their own promotions and coupons to show that they support this policy.
Already people are sharing their opinions on social media about how to get more cash coupons. Both sides, consumers and businesses, just want to get the most out of this government handout.
Although the cash coupons are only for HK$5,000 per person, we can still do a lot with that in Hong Kong. I, for one, would spend most of it on dining and entertainment. I’m always reminded of the line from Dom Toretto in the first Fast& Furious movie, “I live my life a quarter-mile at a time ” – we just need to enjoy this moment in time, and not think too much of the future.
But there’s one concern about the government’s attempt to boost spending in an economy hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic by giving out cash coupons.