Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has taken action against 1,753 non-compliant food establishments and blocked more than 1,057 tonnes of products from entering the market, the Saudi Gazette reported on June 10.
The authority carried out more than 15,200 inspection visits across 12,260 establishments during the first quarter of this year, identifying violations and intercepting non-compliant food products.
The most common infractions included operating without a licence, distributing products not approved by the SFDA, and breaching technical regulations. Legal measures were taken against all offending establishments.
Bans on products were issued primarily due to contamination with pathogens capable of causing foodborne illnesses, including Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. Violations were also recorded in the transportation and storage of food products.
Penalties for violations may include business closure, imprisonment, or fines of up to SAR10mn. No USD equivalent was disclosed.
The enforcement drive is significant for the travel and hospitality sector, which relies heavily on food service compliance. Saudi Arabia has been accelerating inbound tourism under its Vision 2030 programme, with the country targeting 150mn visitors annually by 2030. Food safety standards at hotels, restaurants, and airport outlets are a key component of the visitor experience and a prerequisite for international certification.
Separately, from July 2025, food establishments became required to display detailed nutritional information on their menus, including caffeine content, high-salt warnings, and physical activity calorie-burn equivalents, as part of a wider transparency drive.
The SFDA reiterated its commitment to monitoring and inspection to prevent substandard and non-compliant products from circulating in local markets.