Saudi Arabia tightens food safety with fines up to SAR 1mn

Saudi food safety measures
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By Arya M Nair, Official Reporter
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The Food and Drug General Authority (SFDA) of Saudi Arabia is taking significant steps to enhance food safety across the Kingdom. 

The SFDA is currently seeking public feedback on proposed amendments to the Food Law and its executive regulations, focusing on updating the table of violations and penalties.

These proposed changes are now available for review on the Istitlaa platform, with the deadline for public input set for September 15, 2024.

The proposed amendments aim to ensure that fines are proportional to the severity and impact of violations, reinforcing the effectiveness of penalties to achieve the primary goals of food safety and security.

Saudi food safety rules
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Key points of the proposed regulations include:

  • Fines for Manufacturing Violations: The maximum fine for food manufacturing violations will be SAR 500,000 ($1,33,237.40) for large establishments, SAR 400,000 ($1,06,589.92) for medium-sized establishments, and SAR 300,000 ($79,942.44) for small establishments, particularly for those handling food or derivatives containing prohibited, banned, or toxic substances.
  • Fines for Handling Expired Food: Large establishments will face fines of SAR 20,000 ($5,329.50), medium-sized establishments SAR 16,000 ($4,263.60), and small establishments SAR 12,000 ($3,197.70) for handling expired food.
  • Severe Offenses: Fines of up to one million riyals ($2,66,474.80) will be imposed for more severe offenses, including the sale of expired or adulterated food products and misleading advertisements.
SFDA
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These stringent measures aim to ensure public health by preventing the sale of expired products and maintaining high food safety standards. Public feedback will be instrumental in refining these regulations, making them more effective and appropriately scaled to the size of the violating establishment.

The SFDA’s efforts underscore its commitment to safeguarding food safety in Saudi Arabia. Stakeholders and the public are encouraged to submit their feedback before the deadline to help shape the future of food safety regulations in the Kingdom.

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