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Buying masks or haze-related items on the secondary market? Be careful, says CASE

CASE warns consumers to be cautious when buying N95 masks and air purifiers online amid Singapore’s worsening haze. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Straits TimesLaura Chia2026-10-17 19:13查看原文 ↗

Consumers are advised not to overbuy masks in large quantities.

Published Oct 17, 2026, 07:13 PM

Updated Oct 17, 2026, 07:13 PM

CASE warned shoppers to be careful buying masks and air purifiers on social media, because sellers there often cannot be verified.

Melvin Yong said some N95 masks were out of stock at outlets on Oct 16, but major retailers still have enough stock and are restocking affected stores.

Consumers were told not to overbuy, to use verified e-commerce sites like Shopee and Lazada, and to watch prices with Price Kaki as Singapore’s haze worsens.

SINGAPORE – Consumers should be cautious when buying masks and air purifiers on the secondary market, especially through social media platforms, said Singapore’s consumer watchdog on Oct 17.

In an advisory posted on Facebook, Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) president Melvin Yong said sellers on these platforms often cannot be verified.

His post comes as some retailers face a temporary shortage of N95 masks, while some have also ran out of stock of air purifiers, amid the worsening haze situation in Singapore.

Yong said that CASE officers had found that N95 masks were out of stock at various retail outlets during their visits on Oct 16.

“CASE is concerned about the lack of availability for some haze-related items, such as N95 masks, air purifiers and filters, amidst the worsening haze situation, but notes that major retailers have sufficient stock and are replenishing supplies,” he wrote.

He said that the association has been liaising closely with major retailers, which have sufficient overall stocks of N95 masks.

These retailers are also actively replenishing supplies at affected outlets to meet consumer demand, he added.

“As stocks resume, consumers are advised not to overbuy masks in large quantities.”

He advised those looking to buy such items online to get them only from e-commerce platforms, such as Shopee and Lazada, which have worked with CASE to implement merchant verification measures.

“Avoid deals that are too good to be true on the internet, as these could be scams,” said Yong.

“CASE strongly encourages consumers to use the Price Kaki to monitor and update the prices of haze-related products, including air purifiers, so that users can compare the prices across retailers when making their purchases.”

The Straits Times previously reported that at least two retailers, including Guardian pharmacy and FairPrice Group, have capped purchases on masks amid a surge in demand for them.

Local retailers have seen a spike in air purifier and air-conditioner sales in Singapore.

Since Oct 5, Singapore has been in its longest continuous stretch of poor air quality the country has endured since the 2015 haze crisis. That year, bad air lasted 14 days from Sept 23 to Oct 7.

The hazy conditions continued on Oct 17 with the 24-hour PSI in the “unhealthy” band across the island for most of the day.

Consumers Association of Singapore

建议消费者不要大量购买口罩。

发布于 2026 年 10 月 17 日下午 7:13

更新于2026年10月17日晚上7:13

CASE 警告消费者在社交媒体上购买口罩和空气净化器时要小心，因为那里的卖家往往无法核实。

Melvin Yong表示，10月16日部分门店的N95口罩已售罄，但主要零售商仍有充足的库存，并正在为受影响的门店补货。

随着新加坡雾霾加剧，消费者被告知不要过度购买，使用 Shopee 和 Lazada 等经过验证的电子商务网站，并通过 Price Kaki 关注价格。

新加坡——新加坡消费者监管机构10月17日表示，消费者在二手市场购买口罩和空气净化器时应谨慎，尤其是在社交媒体平台上购买。

新加坡消费者协会 (CASE) 主席 Melvin Yong 在 Facebook 上发布的一份公告中表示，这些平台上的卖家往往无法核实。

在他发布这条消息之际，新加坡的雾霾情况日益恶化，一些零售商面临 N95 口罩暂时短缺，一些零售商的空气净化器也已售罄。

Yong表示，CASE官员在10月16日走访多家零售店时发现，N95口罩已售罄。