Singapore residents are consuming more sodium than ever before, with 95 per cent exceeding the daily recommended limit of 2,000mg. Meanwhile, government outreach efforts face stubborn resistance from hawkers who fear that altering traditional recipes to cut salt will drive away customers accustomed to stronger flavours.
The Bottom Line
- Nearly all Singapore residents (95 per cent) exceeded the recommended daily sodium limit in recent findings, up from 88 per cent in 2019.
- Eating out remains a major factor, with 7 in 10 residents eating out at least once a day in 2025, while commonly consumed hawker dishes rose in sodium content.
- Despite Health Promotion Board outreach reaching thousands of stalls, only 650 hawker stalls had switched to lower-sodium alternatives by June.
Why Hawkers Hesitate to Alter Traditional Recipes
When second-generation hawker Ringo Yen tried making his wanton noodle soup less salty at Xiang Ji Wanton Mee at Bedok Food Centre, customers complained the soup tasted bland and poured extra soya sauce into their food themselves. Yen, whose family has run the stall for more than 50 years, noted that diners still expect familiar, stronger flavours. He stated that customers must be convinced first before hawkers will change their recipes.
Operating on tight margins, many hawkers view tinkering with tried-and-tested recipes as a costly gamble. While some experiment with lower-sodium alternatives, concerns over taste, costs, and customer demand often lead them to return to their usual ingredients. Daniel Loh, who runs Ippon Fusion Bowl at Our Tampines Hub Hawker Centre, tried lower-sodium salt provided for free by a Health Promotion Board vendor but switched back to sea salt after a few rounds because he preferred its natural flavour.
Rising Sodium Intake and Eating Out Trends
The push to reduce sodium consumption runs up against changing dining habits across Singapore. Findings from the National Population Health Survey and National Nutrition Survey released earlier in October showed that adults were consuming more calories and salt. Eating out heavily contributes to this trend, with 7 in 10 residents eating out at least once a day in 2025, compared to 6 in 10 in 2019.
Health Promotion Board figures indicate that evaluations of popular meals revealed a sodium level increase of roughly 20 per cent spanning 2010 to 2023, followed by another 10 per cent rise between 2023 and 2025.
Targeted Outreach and Slow Adoption Rates
To combat rising sodium levels, the Health Promotion Board introduced the Healthier Ingredient Promotion Programme in 2024. Outreach teams visit hawker stalls individually to discuss the advantages of lowering sodium, provide sample low-sodium products, and link interested vendors with appropriate suppliers. Channelnewsasia reported that as of June, the agency had reached out to about 4,000 hawkers across 146 hawker centres and coffeeshops. Out of those, only 650 stalls had switched to lower-sodium salt, sauces, or seasonings.
