Editorial | Spending spree aims to bring Hong Kong cheer at the hardest of times
- Latest release of electronic consumption vouchers will be welcomed by people just wanting to shop and those who are struggling from the effects of the fifth wave of Covid-19
No sooner had the first tranche of the HK$10,000 (US$1,300) government handout been released yesterday than consumers rushed out to spend it.
This is to be expected, despite repeated government warnings that the fifth wave of Covid-19 is far from over.
For those whose behaviour has been restrained by stringent social-distancing rules for months, the urge to spend is natural. But for the many who are struggling to make ends meet, the electronic consumption vouchers provide timely relief at the hardest of times.
Thanks to the mechanism already in place following the HK$5,000 payment last year, both registration and distribution were comparatively smoother this time around.
Users of AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK would have received the first half of the HK$10,000 voucher in their e-wallets automatically.
But payment via Octopus card will be made in phases because of the HK$3,000 stored value cap. There were queues yesterday as people rushed to get their vouchers at designated Octopus outlets.
