Food Labelling in the UAE: Requirements and Common Mistakes
A UAE food label must be in English, may repeat in Arabic, and has to carry the manufacturer and the local importer, the full composition in descending order of mass with allergens highlighted, nutritional values, and production and expiry dates in day-month-year format. Halal claims need certification behind them. Most rejections trace back to five avoidable errors.
What must a UAE food label carry?
Six things. None of them are optional, and none of them are unusual on their own, the difficulty is that a label compliant somewhere else is rarely compliant here without changes.
Language and content. Information must be provided in English. It may also be repeated in Arabic. Composition, nutritional values, production date and expiry date all have to be clearly and legibly stated.
Manufacturer and importer. The company name, address and country of production, plus the details of the local importer or distributor. The second half is the one exporters forget, and it is mandatory, it is how a product is identified and traced.
Composition and additives. The complete composition, listed in descending order of mass. Potential allergens must be clearly highlighted. Every food additive used has to be listed with its code.
Nutritional value. Calories and the main nutrients, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Production and expiry dates. Clearly stated, using the international day-month-year format.
Halal certification. Where a product is claimed to be halal, that claim needs certification and labelling behind it.
Which mistakes get UAE food labels rejected?
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Incorrect or incomplete Arabic translation | Rejection from the market, or penalties |
| No local importer details | Direct breach of UAE regulations |
| Incomplete composition or missing allergens | Health risk to consumers; serious regulatory exposure |
| Wrong or ambiguous date format | Conflict with regulators, loss of consumer trust |
| Missing certificates, halal in particular | Treated as a serious violation |
Four of the five are errors of omission. The information existed; it simply did not make it onto the label in the form the UAE requires.
Where the effort is best spent
Translation and the importer block are the cheapest problems to prevent and among the most expensive to discover at the border. Both are fixed at artwork stage, before a print run, for a fraction of what a rejected shipment costs.
Allergens deserve separate attention from the rest of the composition. Listing every component correctly and highlighting the allergens are two different requirements, and satisfying the first does not satisfy the second.
Frequently asked questions
Does a UAE food label have to be in Arabic?
English is the mandatory language. Arabic may be used in addition, and often is, but where it appears, the translation has to be correct. Incorrect or incomplete Arabic is one of the most common reasons a product is rejected or penalised, so use qualified translators and do not treat it as a formality.
Why does the date format matter?
Because day-month-year and month-day-year are indistinguishable for the first twelve days of any month, and a misread expiry date is a food safety problem. The UAE requires the international day-month-year format specifically to remove that ambiguity.
Can a product be labelled halal without certification?
No. A halal claim has to be backed by the appropriate certification and labelling. Making the claim without it is treated as a serious violation.
Not sure which of these applies to your product? Send it and we will tell you
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