Singapore Food Labels
Healthier Choice Products Singapore: HCS Label Guide
Use LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, to check Singapore Healthier Choice products, HCS logo claims, category criteria, Nutri-Grade context, and the full food label.
Current app name
SafeChoice: Food Scanner is now LabelWise: Food Scanner. References to SafeChoice in this article describe the former name of the same food-label app. Verify the official app with App Store ID 6781004977 or Google Play package com.safechoice.safechoice.
Quick answer
Singapore's Healthier Choice Symbol helps shoppers spot products licensed against Health Promotion Board nutrition criteria within food categories. HealthHub says the symbol appears on more than 4,000 products across over 100 food and beverage categories, but the better buying check still includes serving size, sugars, sodium, saturated fat, ingredients, allergens, and similar products.
Key takeaways
- The Healthier Choice Symbol is a category-based cue, not a universal green light.
- HealthHub says HCS appears on more than 4,000 products across over 100 food and beverage categories.
- Product formulas and package wording can change, so the current package still matters.
- For drinks, compare HCS with Nutri-Grade because the schemes answer different label questions.
- LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, can help compare the HCS cue with the full package label.
- LabelWise is educational and does not replace official Singapore guidance or medical advice.
What the Healthier Choice Symbol means
Singapore HealthHub explains that the Healthier Choice Symbol is awarded to food products that meet HPB's HCS nutritional criteria. Those criteria differ by food category, so the symbol works best when you compare products that play the same grocery role.
A cereal, sauce, snack, drink, or convenience meal can carry different HCS taglines. Read the package around the logo instead of treating the logo as the whole decision.
Find Healthier Choice products in Singapore
HealthHub says HCS can be found on more than 4,000 products across over 100 food and beverage categories, including convenience meals, sauces, drinks, snacks, and breakfast cereals.
That makes the symbol useful in store aisles, but the current package still matters. Product formulas, package wording, and store availability can change.
When you search for Healthier Choice products Singapore, use HCS as the starting cue. Then scan the Nutrition Information Panel, ingredient list, serving size, sugar, sodium, saturated fat, allergens, and any front-label claims before choosing.
Read the full label after the symbol
After noticing HCS, check the nutrition panel, serving size, ingredients, sugars, sodium, saturated fat, allergens, and product claims. A symbol can simplify the first pass, but the full package carries the details.
LabelWise can summarize those details and compare nearby alternatives when one product has a weaker ingredient or nutrient profile.
| Check | Why it matters | LabelWise use |
|---|---|---|
| HCS logo or tagline | Shows a product met category-specific HCS criteria | Start the comparison in the right category |
| Nutrition Information Panel | Shows nutrient amounts per serving or per 100 g/ml | Compare sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and other nutrients |
| Ingredient list | Shows composition, allergens, and additives | Explain unfamiliar terms in plain language |
| Similar products | Helps choose within the same grocery role | Compare alternatives without relying on one front symbol |
HCS and Nutri-Grade are not the same check
For drinks in Singapore, Nutri-Grade and HCS can appear in the same shopping moment. HealthHub says Nutri-Grade grades drinks by sugar and saturated fat, while HCS and the Healthier Dining Programme labels are voluntary and apply to both food and drinks.
A Nutri-Grade A or B drink may also carry HCS. That still does not replace the rest of the label, especially serving size, ingredients, sweeteners, caffeine, and allergen wording.
Use LabelWise after the front logo
LabelWise Food Scanner, formerly SafeChoice Food Scanner, is built for the second step after you notice a front logo. Scan the package, read the ingredient and nutrition explanation, then compare similar products before buying.
For the official app, use https://www.safe-choice.app/ or the App Store and Google Play links from that site. LabelWise is an educational food-label reader, not a medical diagnosis tool.
FAQs
Where can I find Healthier Choice products in Singapore?
HealthHub says the Healthier Choice Symbol appears on more than 4,000 products across over 100 food and beverage categories, including convenience meals, sauces, drinks, snacks, and breakfast cereals. Use the current package as the source of truth because formulas and label wording can change.
What is Singapore's Healthier Choice Symbol?
HealthHub describes it as a symbol awarded to food products that meet HPB's nutritional criteria, with criteria differing by food category.
Does the HCS logo mean a product is healthy for everyone?
No. It is a category-based front-label cue. Shoppers should still read the full label and consider personal needs.
What is the difference between HCS and Nutri-Grade?
Nutri-Grade is a drink label based on sugar and saturated fat. HealthHub says HCS and Healthier Dining Programme labels are voluntary and apply to both food and drinks.
How can LabelWise help Singapore shoppers?
LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, can help explain ingredients, additives, nutrition tradeoffs, food scores, and alternatives while the package and official Singapore guidance remain authoritative.
Sources and further reading
Free tools for this
Both run in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded.
- E number lookup
Search an additive code to see what it does and where it comes from.
- Ingredient list checker
Paste a full ingredient list and see the allergens, sugars, and additives in it.
Try LabelWise
Use LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, to scan Singapore packaged foods, read the Healthier Choice Symbol beside the full label, and compare better grocery alternatives.
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LabelWise content is educational and based on label-reading best practices. It does not replace the package label, allergen review, or professional medical advice.