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Selling soft drinks and other beverages in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, beverages are food under the Food Law, regulated by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). They are registered with SFDA, labelled in Arabic under SFDA.FD/GSO 9, and cleared against the standards SFDA lists for each group. Energy drinks need SFDA registration before production or import, and have their own limits and warnings.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulator
Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
Soft drinks and malt drinks
GSO 2523:2016 at clearance
Bottled and mineral water
GSO 149, GSO 1025, GSO 2232 and GSO 987
Caffeine in energy drinks
Up to 23 mg per 100 ml
Energy drink age warning
Not suitable for people under 16
Label language
Arabic; other languages must match it

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the drink registered with SFDA, and does it need pre-registration evaluation? Read more
  2. 2Which standard applies at clearance for its group? Read more
  3. 3Is it an energy drink, with limits, warnings and display rules? Read more
  4. 4Does the Arabic label carry the particulars and only permitted claims? Read more
  5. 5Which certificates does the shipment need? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Registration

Drinks are food, so the establishment and the product are registered with SFDA.

  • Food establishments register with SFDA before starting their activities, and register their products (Articles 8 and 9, Food Law).
  • Energy drinks are listed among the products that need SFDA's consent (Article 46 of the Regulation).
  • Energy drinks and sports drinks are among the products SFDA evaluates before registration.
  • Before importing, the importer registers the establishment and the products on SFDA's Ghad platform.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the registration record and the label filed with it beside the label on sale, so a change shows before the next shipment. Ask about this

Standards at clearance

The standards and certificates SFDA lists for each beverage group.

  • SFDA's clearance table lists GSO 2523:2016 for carbonated beverages, flavoured beverages and powders, energy drinks, and "Beer Beverages & Malt Beverages".
  • Bottled and mineral drinking water is cleared against GSO 149, GSO 1025, GSO 2232 and GSO 987, with a licensing certificate from the country of origin under Technical Regulation No. 987.
  • Mineral water must come with a certificate proving it is natural water and not bottled drinking water.
  • Juices, nectars and fruit drinks are listed under fruits and their products; some countries need a certificate of conformity, and some must export from listed establishments.
  • Sports drinks are listed with foods and beverages for special uses, which need a marketing certificate from the country of origin.
  • Where a halal logo, quality mark or organic claim is used, proof of the claim is required.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the water licence, natural water certificate and other clearance documents with the product and lot, and shows which are missing or due to expire. Ask about this

Energy drinks

SFDA's limits, label warnings and shelf rules for energy drinks.

  • It is prohibited to produce or import energy drinks before registering them with SFDA.
  • Maximum limits per 100 ml: caffeine 23 mg, inositol 20 mg, glucuronolactone 240 mg and taurine 400 mg.
  • The label warns that the drink is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, athletes during exercise, people under 16, people allergic to caffeine, or people with heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
  • The label also states "high in caffeine" and that the recommended consumption shown on the label should not be exceeded.
  • In shops, energy drinks are kept in designated fridges or shelves, separate from other drinks, bearing visible warning signs.

How we help: Upload a specification or lab report and Compliant Always reads the stimulant levels against SFDA's limits, and checks the label for each required warning. Ask about this

Labelling and claims

The labelling technical regulations and the language rule.

  • Labels follow SFDA.FD/GSO 9, with nutritional labelling under SFDA.FD 2233 and claims under SFDA.FD 2333.
  • Labelling is in Arabic; where another language is used, it must be identical to the Arabic (SFDA.FD/GSO 9, as quoted by SFDA).
  • A discrepancy between the Arabic and English nutrition information, or a claim SFDA does not allow, is a misleading practice (Article 45 of the Regulation).
  • Food is adulterated if it contains alcohol or other non-halal ingredients without indicating so on the label (Article 44 of the Regulation).

How we help: Upload the label and Compliant Always reads it against SFDA.FD/GSO 9, 2233 and 2333, and sets the Arabic beside the other languages. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ImporterRegistration on Ghad, the clearance documents and a licensed warehouse.Certificates for each shipment kept with the product and lot, with expiry dates shown.
Manufacturer or bottlerA drink that meets the standards SFDA applies to its group, and the origin-country licences for water.Specifications and lab reports read against the limits that apply.
RetailerDisplaying energy drinks on separate, signed fridges or shelves.The display rule kept on record with the product.

Questions businesses ask

Do soft drinks need SFDA registration in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Drinks are food under the Food Law, and food establishments register their products with SFDA. Importers register both the establishment and the products on SFDA's Ghad platform before importing.
What is the caffeine limit for energy drinks in Saudi Arabia?
23 mg per 100 ml. SFDA also limits inositol to 20 mg, glucuronolactone to 240 mg and taurine to 400 mg per 100 ml.
What warnings must an energy drink label carry in Saudi Arabia?
That it is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, athletes during exercise, under-16s, people allergic to caffeine, or people with heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes; "high in caffeine"; and not to exceed the recommended consumption.
Can energy drinks be sold to under-16s in Saudi Arabia?
SFDA's guide requires the label to say energy drinks are not suitable for people under 16, and requires shops to keep them on separate fridges or shelves with warning signs.
Which standard applies to carbonated drinks in Saudi Arabia?
SFDA's clearance table lists GSO 2523:2016 for carbonated beverages, flavoured beverages and powders, energy drinks, and beer and malt beverages.
Can I import non-alcoholic beer into Saudi Arabia?
SFDA's clearance table lists "Beer Beverages & Malt Beverages" under beverages, against GSO 2523:2016. The Food Law treats alcohol as a non-halal ingredient, so read the alcohol guide before formulating.
What does bottled water need for Saudi clearance?
SFDA lists GSO 149, GSO 1025, GSO 2232 and GSO 987, a licensing certificate from the country of origin under Technical Regulation No. 987, and for mineral water a certificate that it is natural water.
Do juices need a certificate of conformity for Saudi Arabia?
For some countries, yes. SFDA's clearance table says juices may need a certificate of conformity and, from some countries, must come from listed establishments.
Must drinks labels be in Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. SFDA.FD/GSO 9 requires labelling in Arabic; other languages may appear alongside, and must be identical to the Arabic.
Are sports drinks treated differently in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. SFDA lists them with foods for special uses, which go through pre-registration evaluation and need a marketing certificate from the country of origin at clearance.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Saudi Arabia?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including SFDA and SASO requirements. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Saudi Arabia and what your paperwork needs to show.

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