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Tag: Giant Supermarket

  • Zodiac dog, pig go missing for Chinese New Year t-shirt

    Zodiac dog, pig go missing for Chinese New Year t-shirt

    There may be 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, but it looks like Giant Hypermarket outlets in Malaysia missed the memo.

    A photo of a festive Chinese New Year t-shirt being sold by the hypermarket chain received flak online from Malaysians because its image of cartoon animals perched around a platter of yu sheng was missing two animals – the pig and the dog, reported Free Malaysia Today.

    Chinese New Year this year, which ushers in the Year of the Dog, falls on Feb 16.

    Instead of a cute cartoon image, the pig and the dog were represented by the Chinese characters “hai” and “xu”.

    People were far from happy about it. In fact, many of them turned snarky.

    Facebook comment by Mynn Liew

    Facebook comment by Magima Raj Pragasam

    Facebook comment by Masihtah Abdul Mutalib

    According to The Straits Times, the T-shirt comes in different sizes and is being sold at a discounted price of RM10.88 ($2.73), down from its original RM15.99.

    But selling it at a discount might not be enough, with many calling for a boycott of the t-shirt altogether.

    Facebook comment by Supachai Phoong

    Facebook comment by Peter Aeria

    Others were simply left speechless.

    Facebook comment by Neelaa Siva

    This is not the first time that the Malaysian authorities have banned or restricted materials containing dogs or pigs – animals considered unclean by the country’s majority Muslims.

    Last February, thousands of paint brushes suspected of containing pig bristles were seized after Malaysian consumers demanded a crackdown.

    In 2016, the Department of Islamic Development of Malaysia (Jakim) even went as far as banning food outlet operators seeking halal certification from using words linked to non-halal references on their menus – and yes, that includes “hot dogs”.

  • PRG China expanding in confidence

    PRG China expanding in confidence

    Despite economic growth cooling, Parkson Retail Group (PRG China) is confident about its shopping mall opening this month in Qingdao.

    This confidence is underlined by an Asian Development Bank prediction that the Chinese economy will grow 6.5 per cent this year, with retail sales expanding 10.6 per cent in the first two months of this year.

    A unit of Parkson Holdings in Malaysia, PRG has 57 department stores in China, with one already in Qingdao. Its latest store is in the new Lion Mall, which the group has acquired for nearly RM1 billion (US$258 million) from Shanghai Industrial Qingdao Development via its indirect unit Qingdao Lion Plaza Retail Management.

    For the financial year ended June 30 last, the group’s China stores contributed about 70 per cent of Parkson Holdings’ revenue and profits.

    Parkson’s first store in Qingdao opened in 1998, its brand equity providing the platform for the group to expand its market share and strengthen its foothold in the fast-growing market. Lion Mall will offer a fully integrated shopping experience, with Parkson and Foodpark as anchor tenants. There will be cinemas, fast-fashion brands, international cosmetics and accessories, F&B, entertainment and other amenities.

    In the Laoshan district of Qingdao, a new financial and commercial hub, the mall is part of a fully integrated development known as the Beer City Project. It has a total gross floor area of about 230,000 sqm, of which about 130,000 sqm are for retail. There will be parking for 2000 cars.

    An exit gate is planned as a direct link to the M2 subway line, which is under construction and will come into service next year.

    On the group’s future plans, a spokesperson says a Lion Mall Phnom Penh in Cambodia is being developed, with the foundation works almost complete.

    “Another development is Parkson City Centre in Phnom Penh, where Parkson has taken a lease of 36,500 sqm and will open the first Parkson department store in Cambodia with sub-tenants in the fourth quarter of this year.”

    Parkson City Centre will include Golden Screen Cinema, making its debut in Cambodia, and Giant Supermarket’s second store.

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