The United Arab Emirates has begun implementing a new regulatory framework governing selected products sold in the local market, introducing mandatory compliance requirements for relevant businesses and administrative penalties that may reach AED 500,000, alongside possible temporary closure or licence cancellation for violations.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention announced the implementation of the new requirements on October 6, 2026, explaining that the measures establish maximum permitted levels of sodium, total sugars and fats in selected packaged food products manufactured locally or imported into the country.

The regulations are designed to improve the nutritional quality of widely consumed food products and reduce public health risks associated with excessive intake of salt, sugar and fat, including obesity and certain noncommunicable diseases.

The framework applies to businesses handling the covered products throughout the food supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, storage operators, retailers and companies operating within UAE free zones.

Activities covered by the decision include production, manufacturing, preparation, processing, packaging, transportation, importation, storage, distribution, serving, display and sale of the targeted products.

However, products manufactured or imported exclusively for direct export or re-export outside the UAE are excluded, provided they are not traded within the domestic market.

The first group of regulated products includes certain types of bread, sweetened milk drinks, milk alternatives, flavoured yoghurt, laban, salted nuts, crackers and other salty snacks. The second group focuses on selected processed cheese products.

For leavened bread, the initial maximum limits are 444 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of total sugars and 8.4 grams of total fat per 100 grams of product.

These thresholds will eventually decrease to 370 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of total sugars and 7 grams of total fat under the final requirements.

Flatbread will initially be subject to a maximum of 384 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of total sugars and 8.4 grams of total fat per 100 grams, with lower limits scheduled for the final implementation stage.

For sweetened milk drinks and milk alternatives, the maximum permitted sugar content will decrease from 9.6 grams to 8 grams per 100 grams between the initial and final phases.

Sweetened or flavoured yoghurt and laban will be subject to a corresponding reduction from 12 grams to 10 grams of total sugars per 100 grams.

The regulations also establish limits for salty snacks. For salted crackers, the maximum sodium content will decline from 696 to 580 milligrams per 100 grams, while the corresponding threshold for salted nuts and seeds will decrease from 336 to 280 milligrams.

Processed cheese products will face separate requirements. Spreadable processed cheese will have an initial sodium limit of 864 milligrams per 100 grams, falling to 720 milligrams in the final phase.

The Ministry has introduced different transition periods to allow businesses sufficient time to reformulate their products and make necessary adjustments.

Businesses handling products in the first group must comply with the initial limits within nine months of the resolution taking effect, while those handling the second group have up to two years and three months to meet their initial requirements.

All covered products must ultimately comply with the final limits by December 31, 2030, regardless of the transitional category to which they belong.

Products manufactured or imported before the new requirements took effect may continue to be sold for up to one year from the effective date, or until their expiry date, whichever occurs first, subject to the applicable conditions.

The framework also permits eligible businesses to request an exception from the initial limits when meeting them would require reducing a targeted ingredient by more than 20 percent of its established content.

Such applications must be submitted within 30 days of the resolution taking effect and supported by technical data, registered nutrition information and laboratory test results from an accredited facility.

Approved exceptions do not remove the obligation to comply with the final maximum limits by the end of 2030.

Businesses that violate the requirements may face administrative sanctions, including warnings, fines ranging from AED 5,000 to AED 500,000, temporary administrative closure for up to six months with the possibility of renewal, or cancellation of the relevant licence or approval.

The applicable sanction will depend on the seriousness of the violation, its circumstances and whether the offence has been repeated. These penalties apply to non-compliant businesses rather than consumers purchasing the products.

Federal and local health authorities, working with relevant regulators, will oversee compliance and obtain the necessary information and documents from establishments.

The measures form part of the UAE’s broader strategy to encourage healthier diets and strengthen preventive healthcare through improvements to commonly consumed products.

Although the Ministry announced the implementation of the resolution on October 6, 2026, the compliance requirements are phased, meaning different product categories have different deadlines before their final obligations apply.

Source: UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention – Emirates News Agency