2,431 F&B closures from Jan. 1-Oct. 23, 2025, 82% that lasted 5 years or less had no profits: MTI

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 23, 2025, there have been 3,357 new retail food establishments and 2,431 closures.

Some 63 per cent of the closures had been registered for five years or less, while 82 per cent of these never recorded a profit according to their annual tax declarations.

The statistics were shared by Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong in two written replies to parliamentary questions filed by Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC Foo Cexiang on Nov. 5.

2,431 closures

Foo had asked the minister about the total number of retail food establishments that have opened and closed to date in 2025, as well as the duration of registration for those which have shuttered.

In a separate question, Foo also asked the minister about the proportion of food establishments that never recorded a profit with respect to those that ceased operations after five years or less.

According to Gan, 2,431 retail food establishments shuttered between Jan. 1 and Oct. 23, 2025.

Some 63 per cent out of the 2,431 closures wound up after a registration period of five years or less.

Out of these, 82 per cent, or about 1,256 establishments, never recorded a profit in their annual tax declarations.

On the flip side, there have been 3,357 new retail food establishments in the same period.

The duration of registration data were pulled from records by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, and do not necessarily equate to actual period of operations.

Duration of registration refers to the difference in years between the entity's registration date and cessation date.

In 2024, there were 3,047 food and beverage closures and 3,793 new businesses set up.

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