SINGAPORE — Food establishments in Singapore will begin displaying a new halal certificate featuring a QR code from October 1.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) announced the change at the Singapore Halal International Seminar held at Hilton Singapore, according to a report by The Straits Times.
“I am glad that Singapore’s halal food certification standards have been a symbol of trust over decades, and hopefully in the wider region,” said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim.
“They embody Singapore’s unwavering commitment to meet strict quality standards to serve both our diverse local community and global food industries,” he added.
The QR code will link to a webpage showing the establishment’s certification details and validity status, along with a form to report suspected misuse.
Businesses will no longer need to replace physical certificates each time they renew their halal certification.
Muis will issue fully digital certificates to other halal-certified entities such as poultry abattoirs and central kitchens starting in October.
Food outlets currently displaying physical certificates must switch to the new version by March 2026.
Muis also announced a new online portal to streamline recognition of foreign halal certification bodies.
The portal, accessible at https://fhcb.muis.gov.sg from October 1, will reduce application times for overseas certifiers seeking approval to export halal products to Singapore.
The Foreign Halal Certification Bodies Recognition Scheme was developed in 2011 to ensure overseas certifiers meet Muis’ standards.
Previously, foreign bodies had to submit paperwork via email, a process that could take several months.
To date, Muis has recognised 101 foreign halal certification bodies.
The portal will include a searchable list of recognised bodies for businesses importing halal food into Singapore.
Faishal said the Muslim community, which makes up about 15 per cent of Singapore’s population, relies on halal imports due to limited domestic resources.
“This reality makes halal certification critical to our food security,” he said.
Consumers can report suspected fraudulent activity via email at info@muis.gov.sg.
