While rental support offers immediate financial relief to hawkers and market stallholders, some experts and stakeholders caution that it may only be a temporary fix rather than a sustainable solution. Structural issues such as rising ingredient prices, labour shortages, and evolving consumer preferences require more comprehensive strategies.
Continuing subsidies could create dependencies that mask the need for productivity improvements or innovation within the sector. There is a risk that ongoing government support may strain public resources or lead to uneven cost burdens if rents are not gradually adjusted to reflect market realities.
Additionally, the support does not address underlying challenges like generational succession in hawker businesses or competitiveness against food delivery and dining alternatives. Without policies encouraging modernization, skills development, and new talent, the hawker sector may face decline despite rental relief.
Critics argue that rental support should be paired with measures to improve operational efficiency and diversify income streams for stallholders. Transparent evaluation of these programs is necessary to ensure they do not delay needed reforms or crowd out private innovation.
Looking forward, the government faces the task of balancing short-term assistance against longer-term sector sustainability, avoiding propping up businesses that may be unviable under evolving market conditions.