Stacy Shi and Eunice Lam
Citizens should brace themselves for price increases in McDonald’s meals, utilities and transport this new year.
Tariffs at power giants CLP and HKE, parking fees at Housing Authority car parks and prices at fast-food chain McDonald’s have gone up while the plastic bag levy is now HK$1.
CLP Power raised its tariff 19.7 percent and Hongkong Electric up to 45.6 percent compared to the rate last January.
Comparing the tariff in November and the new rate with effect from Sunday, the increment is 6.4 percent for CLP and 5.5 percent for HKE.
For fuel charges, CLP will adjust upward by 7.2 cents from the November 2022 level of 54.8 cents per unit of electricity to 62 cents this month; while HKE will raise the charge by 3.7 cents per unit of electricity to 82.5 cents, from November levels of 78.8 cents.
Starting from Sunday, the Housing Authority increased the charges of about 33,500 parking spaces in 189 car parks under its management.
The monthly rent for open and covered parking spaces for private cars, light goods vehicles and buses will be increased by HK$100 and HK$120.
For motorcycles, the monthly parking fees for open and covered parking spaces will be increased by HK$20 and HK$30, with new fees of $450 and $590.
The hourly parking fee for private cars, light goods vehicles and motorcycles will be increased by HK$1. The “daily” and “24-hour” parking fees for private cars will be increased by HK$5, to HK$90 and HK$120.
The government will also raise the toll for the Eastern and Hung Hom Cross-Harbour tunnels to HK$30 starting in August, meaning drivers using the two tunnels will pay HK$5 and HK$10.
KMB and LWB applied for fare adjustment in early and mid 2022, and the rate of increase was less than 10 percent; while New Lantao Bus applied a 10 percent of fare increase in the second half of this year.
NWFB and Citybus applied the highest rate of increase at about 20 percent.
Star Ferry has also applied for its two franchised routes to double the fare, as well as applying for a HK$2 concessionary fare for the elderly to replace the existing free ferry ride.
The adult upper deck fare on holidays reached HK$8.4, lower deck fare on weekdays reached HK$5.2, and the monthly pass was increased from HK$160 to HK$320.
The taxi industry also submitted a fare increase proposal to the Transport Department, requesting a HK$6 increase in the flagfall fare for urban cabs in the first or second quarter of 2023.
The exemption for plastic bags containing frozen or chilled food was eliminated on Saturday, together with the HK$1 levy, and free plastic bags will only be provided for food purchased without packaging or not fully contained in any packaging.
McDonald’s announced it would raise the price of all products by HK$1 to HK$2 starting this month, except for combo meals for two and more people.
The breakfast set meal of Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burger, Sausage McMuffin with Egg and Filet-O-Fish will see their price rise by HK$1 to HK$21.
For lunch and dinner, the price of the Sausage McMuffin with Egg meal and Chicken McNuggets meal will also rise to HK$28, while the McSpicy Chicken Filet and Big Mac meals will also cost around HK$2 more.
stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com
eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com
