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Saudi Food and Drug Authority Initiates New Health Regulations
New technical regulations aim to improve public health and nutrition awareness in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has announced the implementation of three new technical regulations designed to enhance public health and foster healthy eating behaviors.
These regulations align with the Health Sector Transformation Program, which is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 initiative.
The new measures are a proactive approach to increasing life expectancy and mitigating the incidence of chronic diseases within the population.
Effective July 1, 2025, the regulations will require the disclosure of caffeine content in beverages, the labeling of high-salt meals, and the introduction of physical activity labeling on menus at restaurants and cafes providing food for external consumption.
The caffeine content regulation mandates that establishments serving caffeinated drinks clearly indicate the caffeine levels on their menus—both paper and electronic—expressed in milligrams per 100 milliliters or per cup.
Additionally, menus must inform customers that the maximum caffeine intake for an adult is 400 milligrams daily.
Under the high-salt labeling requirement, restaurants and cafes will be obligated to mark food items containing more than five grams of salt—equivalent to 2,000 milligrams of sodium—with a 'salt' label on all menus, which includes both printed and digital formats as well as online food ordering services.
This initiative aims to raise consumer awareness regarding high-salt foods, contributing to efforts to reduce excessive sodium intake and its associated health risks.
The Physical Activity Labeling Regulation targets eateries and online food delivery platforms, necessitating them to communicate the time needed to burn off the caloric content of meals.
This is to be achieved through the inclusion of an icon that illustrates the specific type of physical activity required to offset the calories consumed, alongside the estimated time in minutes or hours to achieve this.
SFDA has articulated that these regulatory changes build upon the Healthy Food Strategy initiated in 2018, which focuses on improving public health through better food options and fostering positive nutritional behaviors.
The SFDA aims to collaborate with service providers in the restaurant and café industry to facilitate the effective rollout of these new legislative measures.
These regulations align with the Health Sector Transformation Program, which is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 initiative.
The new measures are a proactive approach to increasing life expectancy and mitigating the incidence of chronic diseases within the population.
Effective July 1, 2025, the regulations will require the disclosure of caffeine content in beverages, the labeling of high-salt meals, and the introduction of physical activity labeling on menus at restaurants and cafes providing food for external consumption.
The caffeine content regulation mandates that establishments serving caffeinated drinks clearly indicate the caffeine levels on their menus—both paper and electronic—expressed in milligrams per 100 milliliters or per cup.
Additionally, menus must inform customers that the maximum caffeine intake for an adult is 400 milligrams daily.
Under the high-salt labeling requirement, restaurants and cafes will be obligated to mark food items containing more than five grams of salt—equivalent to 2,000 milligrams of sodium—with a 'salt' label on all menus, which includes both printed and digital formats as well as online food ordering services.
This initiative aims to raise consumer awareness regarding high-salt foods, contributing to efforts to reduce excessive sodium intake and its associated health risks.
The Physical Activity Labeling Regulation targets eateries and online food delivery platforms, necessitating them to communicate the time needed to burn off the caloric content of meals.
This is to be achieved through the inclusion of an icon that illustrates the specific type of physical activity required to offset the calories consumed, alongside the estimated time in minutes or hours to achieve this.
SFDA has articulated that these regulatory changes build upon the Healthy Food Strategy initiated in 2018, which focuses on improving public health through better food options and fostering positive nutritional behaviors.
The SFDA aims to collaborate with service providers in the restaurant and café industry to facilitate the effective rollout of these new legislative measures.
