The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has published draft amendments on the Istitlaa public survey platform, proposing revised fines for food facilities to ensure food safety and security.

Under the draft, any shop or facility engaging in food activities without obtaining a municipal license could face a maximum fine of fifty thousand riyals.

In addition, fines of up to two thousand riyals are proposed for the detection of cats, dogs, or rodents inside a facility, with penalties doubled for repeated violations.

The draft also sets a maximum fine of five thousand riyals for practicing commercial activities after a license has expired, operating in violation of the licensed activity, or providing incorrect documentation.

Reopening a facility before the municipality-prescribed closure period would incur a fine of up to ten thousand riyals, while tampering with or disposing of seized materials without approval could result in a fine of up to five thousand riyals.

For violations related to unlicensed slaughtering of animals or birds, a maximum fine of two thousand riyals is proposed.

Hygiene-related fines range from two hundred to four thousand riyals, with sewage leakage or overflow carrying a maximum fine of four thousand riyals.

Additional fines are proposed for the presence of rodents, insects, or public health pests, and for failure to clean devices, tools, or utensils, with maximum penalties of one thousand to two thousand riyals.

The draft stipulates that fines will be doubled in the event of repeat violations, with the doubling occurring only once for most offenses within a twenty-four month period, except for serious violations where the fine may be doubled up to four times.

Importantly, any violations will be recorded solely for the specific branch where the incident occurred, without affecting the records of other branches.