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Selling food in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, food is regulated by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) under the Food Law and its Implementing Regulation. Establishments and products are registered with SFDA, labels follow SFDA.FD/GSO 9 in Arabic, and imported food is released only with SFDA's consent. Food business operators answer for the food they handle.

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

Regulator
Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
Law
Food Law and its Implementing Regulation
Registration
Establishment and product, on SFDA's Ghad platform
Label language
Arabic; other languages must match it
Labelling rules
SFDA.FD/GSO 9, SFDA.FD 2233 and SFDA.FD 2333
Clearance
Through the Fasah platform

Before a product goes on sale

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

  1. 1Is the establishment, and the product, registered with SFDA? Read more
  2. 2Does the Arabic label carry what the technical regulations require? Read more
  3. 3Are any ingredients non-halal, and does a halal logo need a certificate? Read more
  4. 4Can the nutrition or health claims be made at all? Read more
  5. 5Which documents does the shipment need at clearance? Read more
  6. 6Can you trace the lot and recall it if needed? Read more

The rules, by area

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

Establishment and product registration

Who must register with SFDA, and what a product registration holds.

  • Food establishments may not start their food activities before registering with SFDA (Article 8, Food Law).
  • Food establishments register their products with SFDA, giving details of the ingredients, the nutrition facts and a copy of the nutrition label (Article 9 of the Law; Article 10 of the Regulation).
  • SFDA's registration guide calls product registration ("Notification of Marketing") a prerequisite for importing; an application includes the label design on each side and an image of the final product.
  • Under Article 46 of the Regulation, nutritional additives, food for special dietary and medicinal uses, food for infants and children, and energy drinks need SFDA's consent.
  • SFDA evaluates some products before registration, including food supplements, energy drinks, sports foods and drinks, infant and child food and food for special medical purposes.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the registration record, the label artwork filed with it and the product image together, dated, and shows when the label on sale has moved away from what was registered. Ask about this

Labelling and claims

The technical regulations a food label is read against, the language rule, and which claims are allowed.

  • SFDA names SFDA.FD/GSO 9 (labelling of prepackaged food), SFDA.FD 2233 (nutritional labelling) and SFDA.FD 2333 (health and nutrition claims) as the labelling technical regulations.
  • SFDA.FD/GSO 9, as quoted by SFDA: "Labelling and adjoining explanatory statements shall be in Arabic and, where another language is used, it shall be alongside the Arabic", and the other language must be identical to the Arabic.
  • A discrepancy between the Arabic and English nutrition information, a claim SFDA does not allow, or irradiation or genetic modification not shown on the label are misleading practices (Article 45 of the Regulation).
  • Food containing allergens is treated as injurious to health unless they are clearly indicated on the label (Article 41 of the Regulation).
  • SFDA.FD 2333 was updated in 2018 and is based on Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006; SFDA's guide lists 33 permitted nutrition claims, such as "high fibre" at 6 g or more per 100 g.
  • A claim not in the regulations can be put to SFDA for evaluation; SFDA replies within 90 days.

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

Islamic law and halal

When food breaches Islamic law under the Food Law, and when SFDA asks for a halal certificate.

  • Food may not be handled if it violates the provisions of Islamic law (Article 16 of the Law).
  • Food violates Islamic law if its source or a component is non-halal under the technical regulations, or if halal food is mixed with non-halal food at any stage (Article 39 of the Regulation).
  • Food is adulterated if it contains pork or pork products, lard, alcohol or any non-halal ingredient without saying so on the label (Article 44 of the Regulation).
  • At clearance, SFDA asks for a halal certificate where the conditions require one and where the product carries a halal label or logo, issued by centres designated by the Saudi Halal Center; meat, poultry and raw gelatine need a halal slaughter certificate.
  • SFDA.FD/GSO 2055-1 (Halal food, general requirements) is among the general specifications applied at clearance.

How we help: Compliant Always reads ingredient specifications for animal-derived and alcohol-derived inputs, and keeps each halal certificate with the product and lot, showing when one expires. Ask about this

Composition, additives and contaminants

The specifications SFDA applies to what is in the food.

  • At clearance SFDA applies general specifications including SFDA.FD/GSO 2500 (permitted additives), SFDA.FD/GSO 150-1 (expiry dates), SFDA.FD/GSO 1016 (microbiological criteria), SFDA.FD 382 (pesticide residues), SFDA.FD/GSO 2481 (veterinary drug residues) and SFDA.FD 193 (contaminants and toxins).
  • Food with restricted additives, additives above the acceptable limits, or contaminants above the permitted limits is treated as injurious to health (Article 41 of the Regulation).
  • Further specifications apply by food group; oils, for example, need a certificate that they contain no partially hydrogenated fats.

How we help: Upload a lab report or specification and Compliant Always reads it against the limits in the specifications that apply to the food group, with the source beside each. Ask about this

Import and clearance

What an importer must have in place before the goods arrive, and the documents SFDA asks for.

  • Imported food is released only after SFDA's consent (Article 7 of the Law).
  • Before importing, the importer registers the establishment and the products on SFDA's Ghad platform, submits clearance requests through the Fasah platform, and has a licensed warehouse; small importers (up to 5 shipments and 2,000 kg a year) are exempt from the warehouse condition.
  • General documents include the certificate of origin, a commercial invoice with expiry dates and batch numbers, the bill of lading and health certificate, and a certificate of conformity for some countries.
  • Proof is required for any logo on the label, such as a halal, quality or organic mark (SFDA.FD/GSO 9, section 3.4).
  • SFDA may sample shipments at the importer's cost; importers keep the original clearance documents for five years.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the certificates each shipment needs with the product and lot, dated, and shows which are missing or expire before the next one leaves. Ask about this

Responsibility, traceability and recall

Who answers for the food, how it is traced, and what happens when it is unsafe.

  • Food business operators are accountable for the activities carried out under their supervision (Article 17 of the Law).
  • Operators keep a traceability system on a "one step forward, one step back" basis and keep records for at least 180 days from the expiry date (Articles 48 and 49 of the Regulation).
  • On knowing or suspecting that food breaches SFDA requirements, the operator recalls it immediately, down to the end consumer, and notifies SFDA immediately (Article 55 of the Regulation).
  • SFDA runs a rapid alert system; focal points give it information on a notified product within 24 hours (Article 57 of the Regulation).

How we help: Compliant Always ties each document to the lot and supplier it came from, so the step back and the step forward are on record when a recall question comes. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ImporterEstablishment and product registration on Ghad, a licensed warehouse, and the clearance documents, kept for five years.The supplier's documents read and dated before the goods ship.
ManufacturerFood that meets the technical regulations, with the specifications, certificates and label behind it.Specifications, test reports and certificates kept with each product, ready for an importer's questionnaire.
Food business operatorThe activities under its supervision, traceability and immediate recall (Articles 17, 18 and 20 of the Law).Lots linked to suppliers and documents, so a trace starts from the record.
BrandA label that matches what was registered and claims that SFDA allows.The label read against the technical regulations, with the gaps shown.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need to register food products with SFDA before selling in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Food establishments register their products with SFDA (Article 9, Food Law), and SFDA's registration guide makes product registration a prerequisite for importing. Establishments also register before starting food activities.
Which language must a food label be in for Saudi Arabia?
Arabic. SFDA.FD/GSO 9 requires labelling in Arabic; where another language is used it goes alongside the Arabic, and the information in it must be identical to the Arabic.
Which technical regulations cover food labelling in Saudi Arabia?
SFDA lists SFDA.FD/GSO 9 for labelling of prepackaged food, SFDA.FD 2233 for nutritional labelling and SFDA.FD 2333 for health and nutrition claims.
Does food sold in Saudi Arabia have to be halal?
Food may not be handled if it violates Islamic law, and the Regulation treats a non-halal source or component as a violation (Articles 16 and 39). Halal certificates are required where the conditions call for them and where a halal logo is used.
What nutrition claims are allowed on food in Saudi Arabia?
SFDA.FD 2333 sets them. SFDA's guide lists 33 permitted nutrition claims with conditions, for example "high protein" where protein gives at least 20% of the energy. Other claims can be submitted to SFDA for evaluation.
What documents are needed to clear food at a Saudi port?
Through the Fasah platform: the certificate of origin, a commercial invoice with expiry dates and batch numbers, the bill of lading, the health certificate and, where relevant, phytosanitary, halal and conformity certificates or import permits.
Does a food importer need a warehouse in Saudi Arabia?
SFDA requires a licensed warehouse, except for local factories importing raw materials for their own products and importers with no more than 5 shipments and 2,000 kg in a calendar year.
How long must food records be kept in Saudi Arabia?
Traceability records are kept for at least 180 days from the expiry date (Article 49 of the Regulation). Importers keep the original clearance documents for five years from clearance.
What happens if food on sale breaks SFDA rules?
The operator recalls it immediately, down to the end consumer, notifies SFDA and follows its directions (Article 55). SFDA may sample, seize, and order measures; penalties are set in its table of violations.
Do I need permission to advertise food in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Advertising food without SFDA's consent, or contrary to the Law's conditions, is prohibited (Article 11 of the Food Law).
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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