The SFDA Issues Three New Regulations to Promote Healthy Community Nutrition

To promote public health and encourage healthy dietary habits, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has announced the adoption of three new technical regulations. These initiatives align with the Saudi Vision 2030 and support the SFDA's preventative efforts to increase life expectancy and reduce chronic disease rates. The regulations, effective July 1, 2025, mandate Caffeine Content Disclosure, High Salt Content Labeling, and Physical Activity Calorie Burn Labeling on menus of restaurants and cafes.

The “Caffeine Content Disclosure” regulationrequires restaurants and cafes to clearly label caffeine content in beverages on menus (paper and electronic), specifying milligrams per 100ml or per cup. An accompanying statement will inform consumers that the maximum daily caffeine intake for adults is 400mg. The SFDA has also launched an online Caffeine to enable businesses to calculate caffeine content, and consumers to easily determine the caffeine levels in their beverages through the following link: https://www.sfda.gov.sa/en/body-calculators/caffeine-calculator.

The “High Salt Content Labeling” regulation mandates restaurants and cafes to label menu items containing over 5 grams of salt (2000mg sodium) by adding a “Salt” icon on all menus (paper and electronic), and online food order platforms. This initiative aims to raise awareness of high-sodium foods and reduce excessive salt consumption, ultimately preventing health problems associated with excessive salt consumption.

The “Physical Activity Calorie Burn Labeling” regulation requires restaurants and cafes to indicate the time needed to burn calories consumed from menu items. This will be achieved through illustrative icons depicting required physical activity and specifying the duration (minutes or hours).

The SFDA confirms that these preventative regulations build upon the healthy food strategy launched in 2018, which aims to improve public health, offer healthier food options, and empower consumers to make informed dietary choices. The SFDA will collaborate with the restaurant and cafe sector to ensure the effective implementation of these regulations.

Specialists and interested parties are encouraged to review the approved technical regulations on the "Mwasfah" online store (https://mwasfah.sfda.gov.sa/Home). For technical inquiries, please contact the SFDA via the unified number 19999.