The Hawkers Go Digital programme, launched on 8 June 2020, has made good progress, with a growing number of stallholders offering e-payments and receiving their E-payment Bonus.
Enterprise Singapore (“ESG”), Infocomm Media Development Authority (“IMDA”) and the SG Digital Office (“SDO”) announced that more than 2,000 stallholders have received the E-payment Bonus under the Hawkers Go Digital Programme[1]. This makes up about 60% of the existing 3,500 stallholders offering e-payment in June 2020.
Over the past two months, SDO’s Digital Ambassadors (DAs) have reached out to a total of 15,900 stallholders at 700 coffee shops and 112 NEA hawker centres and markets and 13 HDB markets operating in government-owned premises. As a result of these efforts, 1,900 new stallholders have adopted the unified e-payment solution as of July 2020, bringing the total number of adopters to 5,400 to date[2].
The Hawkers Go Digital programme’s good progress is encouraging and SDO will continue its outreach efforts with the aim to get more stallholders to adopt e-payment. The programme was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat in his Fortitude Budget speech in May. The multi-agency effort to drive e-payment adoption among hawkers and stallholders and accelerate the roll-out of a unified e-payment solution nationwide is led by ESG and IMDA, supported by SDO’s DAs, Housing and Development Board (“HDB”), JTC Corporation (“JTC”) and National Environment Agency (“NEA”).
Said Ms Jane Lim, Assistant Chief Executive, IMDA: “We are heartened to see more stallholders adopting the unified e-payment solution, and their customers supporting them using e-payment for their transactions. These early results are encouraging, and I want to assure all our stallholders that the Government will spare no effort to help them strengthen their productivity and competitiveness through digitalisation. I urge our stallholders who have not yet signed up or who need assistance doing so to reach out to our DAs, who will provide you with all necessary assistance to make this convenient and secure payment option available to your customers.”
Said Mr Ted Tan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Singapore, “The COVID-19 situation has significantly accelerated digital transformation in enterprises, regardless of size. The adoption of e-payment is an important first step towards digitalisation for food services businesses, including hawker centres, coffee shops and canteens, in our heartlands and industrial estates. We urge all stallholders to embrace e-payment which will enable them to operate more efficiently and safely, minimising physical contact with their customers during this period and for the long term.”
HAWKERS GO DIGITAL PROGRAMME FACTSHEET
The Hawkers Go Digital programme helps stallholders kick-start their digital transformation journey with digital solutions such as e-payment. The programme builds on existing efforts[3] to drive adoption among stallholders to help them minimise physical interaction and the handling of cash.
Accelerate adoption of the unified e-payment solution
To encourage adoption, an E-payment Bonus of up to $1,500 ($300 per month for any five months) will be given to all stallholders (both existing users and new sign-ups by 31 December 2020) who have demonstrated sustained use of the e-payment solution. This initiative aims to reach out to 18,000 stallholders by June 2021.
A bonus of $300 will be paid for each month to stallholders who have completed at least 20 transactions on the unified e-payment solution. Each transaction must be at least $1 and must be completed by 31 May 2021. The bonus will be paid the following month. All applicable bonus of up to a total $1,500 will be paid by 30 June 2021 for transactions made in May 2021. The Government will also bear the transaction fees (i.e. merchant discount rate payable by merchants) until 31 December 2023[4].
[1]The Hawkers Go Digital programme aims to reach out to and encourage 18,000 stallholders to adopt the unified e-payment solution by June 2021. Stallholders will receive a $300 E-payment Bonus for up to five months, for every month where they achieve 20 transactions.
[2] In June 2019, the Government rolled out the unified e-payment solution for hawker centres (cooked food and market stalls), coffeeshops and industrial canteens operating in government-owned (HDB, JTC and NEA) premises. The initiative provides a single, interoperable system, lower merchant discount rate and quicker transaction of credit for stallholders.
[3] In June 2019, the Government rolled out the unified e-payment solution for hawker centres (cooked food and market stalls), coffeeshops and industrial canteens operating in government-owned (HDB, JTC and NEA) premises. The initiative provides a single, interoperable system, lower merchant discount rate and quicker transaction of credit for stallholders.
[4] Under the initiative, a merchant discount rate (MDR) of 0.5% for monthly payment transactions was agreed upon. The Government provides funding support over three years, bringing down the MDR to 0%. The appointed master acquirer of the initiative, NETS, also waived the terminal rental fee for merchants. Consumers can choose to pay using any of the 27 schemes available, including 19 on SGQR and 8 on the terminal.
ISSUED BY ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE, INFO-COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND SG DIGITAL OFFICE
About Enterprise Singapore
Enterprise Singapore is the government agency championing enterprise development. We work with committed companies to build capabilities, innovate and internationalise. We also support the growth of Singapore as a hub for global trading and startups, and build trust in Singapore’s products and services through quality and standards. Visit www.enterprisesg.gov.sg for more information.
About Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore’s ICM infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the elecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment, and enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission. For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.
About the Singapore Digital Office (SDO)
The Singapore Digital Office (SDO), established under the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), drives our concerted nationwide movement to accelerate digital adoption in our community. To achieve this, SDO will work with like-minded members of the community, corporate entities and individuals to reach out to every citizen, worker and business, to equip them with the digital tools and skills to participate meaningfully in the evolving social and economic environment. Through this whole-of-nation movement, we will ensure every Singaporean has a place in our shared digital future. For more information, visit www.sdo.gov.sg or follow SDO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
