Understanding the Points Demerit System (PDS)

Who does the PDS apply to?

Retail food businesses that are licensed by SFA are subject to the PDS. These include (but are not limited to):

• Food stalls located in coffee shops, canteens, food courts, and hawker centres
• Food shops (e.g. restaurants, takeaways, and food caterers)
• Main operators of coffee shops, canteens, and food courts

All food businesses and food handlers are responsible for ensuring that food is safe for consumption. They must observe good personal hygiene and food safety practices at all times.

What is the PDS?

Under the PDS, retail food businesses incur demerit points for the food safety offences committed. Offences that have a greater impact on food safety are assigned more demerit points.

A food business that has accumulated the threshold number of demerit points within the specified time period will be liable for suspension or cancellation of their licence.

How are the demerit points incurred?

A retail food business will incur demerit points if they commit food safety offences.

Food safety offences are divided into three categories according to the severity of offences:

See the list of offences and their corresponding demerit points for details.

What are the penalties for food safety offences?

SFA takes enforcement action against food businesses if they commit food safety offences. Enforcement actions include composition sums and prosecution in court. Retail food businesses may also have their licences suspended or revoked under the PDS.

How does the PDS encourage food safety?

Reinforcing awareness of food safety risks

PDS reinforces the awareness of food safety risks by food businesses and their responsibility in ensuring food safety. It also provides them with a better understanding of the severity of the various offences and how they can improve their food safety practices. 

The demerit point system that is based on the severity of offences, together with the suspension or revocation framework, seeks to motivate food businesses to uphold high food safety standards and take responsibility in preventing the recurrence of food safety lapses.

Suspension before revocation of licences

By suspending licences instead of revoking them immediately, SFA provides food businesses with an opportunity to improve on their food safety practices to prevent their licences from being suspended again or revoked eventually. 

For more information

Download the FAQs for more information. You can also contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.