Spending on alcohol shot up 400% the day before lockdown

On May 12, 2021, the Singapore government announced a move to tighten Covid restrictions in light of an increasing number of infections. Among the measures is the banning of dining-in at F&B outlets.

We decided to see if spending would peak on May 15, the day before the lockdown. After checking in with our data, we found that the average spend per customer at restaurants, cafes, and bars was SGD$83, up from the 30-day average of SGD$50.

Conclusion: Singaporeans did indeed splurge out on that "one last meal" before the lockdown.

What else did we discover?

Physical spend at fast-food joints was also up 🍟

For those who like their Golden Arches, the average spend per customer at fast-food restaurants was a finger lickin’ SGD$16. This was the second highest spend over the last 30 days, the highest being May 1 at SGD$17.

Customers checked out their groceries earlier 🛒

Perhaps in anticipation of a last-minute supermarket run, spending at supermarkets peaked on May 14 instead. Customers checked out an average of SGD$45 of groceries that day, the highest over the last 30 days.

Coping with dry days ahead 🍺🍺🍺🍺

Most dramatically was the amount spent on beer, wine, and liquor. On May 15, the average amount spent per customer buzzed up 400% - from an average of SGD$96 to SGD$487. It seemed everyone wanted to ensure they got their fill of drinks with friends before the dry month rolled around.

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