Service · GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain) · Prepackaged food
GCC Food Label Review
English pack + Arabic sticker
- For
- Food brands, exporters and GCC importers of prepackaged food
- What
- An independent check of your label and Arabic sticker against GSO labelling standards and each country's import rules, before you print and ship
- You get
- A written gap report with the fix for each finding, in about 5 working days. Arabic label text on request.
- Facts
- Every requirement checked against the official texts listed in section 6, on 20 October 2026
1Why now
An English-printed pack with an Arabic sticker is a common way into the Gulf. It can work, but the rules for stickers, dates and import approval now differ from country to country:
| Market | What changed or applies |
|---|---|
| Oman | Since 1 January 2025, every imported food must be registered with the Food Safety and Quality Center and its label approved. Advertising or promoting a food, including online, needs prior approval, valid for 30 days. Ministerial Decision 69/2024 |
| Kuwait | Food may be imported only after prior approval from PAFN. All label data must be applied "by the food manufacturer or producer abroad before entering the country", so a sticker cannot be added on arrival. Ministerial Resolution 6/2023 |
| Bahrain | Regular foods need no prior product registration, but the label must meet GSO standards. "Adding stickers for production and expiry dates is not permissible." MOH Food Importers Guide |
| GCC-wide | New Gulf technical regulations for food allergen declaration (GSO 2810:2025) and nutrition labelling (GSO 2233:2025), and an amendment to the general labelling standard (GSO 9:2022/Amd 1:2025). National enforcement dates have not been published. GSO |
The sticker is rarely the real problem. Shipments run into trouble over what surrounds the sticker: dates printed only on the sticker, a sticker covering the original panel, an Arabic term that doesn't match the regulation, or a product that was never registered for the market. These are cheap to fix before printing and expensive at the port.
2What we review
- Your market routeThe registration, label-approval and importer steps that each target country's published rules require, so you can confirm them with your importer. We don't file registrations or advise on customs or courier routes.
- The sticker methodA single sticker, designed and printed by the manufacturer, that doesn't cover or contradict anything on the original pack, applied where and when each market requires.
- Date markingProduction and expiry dates printed on the pack itself, in the right format for the shelf life, with only one of each.
- Mandatory particularsProduct name, ingredients, additives, allergens, net quantity, manufacturer, country of origin, storage and use instructions, and country-specific declarations such as the source of gelatin and lecithins.
- Nutrition facts and Arabic terminologyThat the Arabic matches the English exactly and uses the regulatory terms, not literal translations.
- Claims, logos and Arabic typographyNutrition and health claims, certification logos, right-to-left layout, letter joining and print readiness.
- Gap reportEach finding with its source, why it matters and the fix, plus the questions to put to your importer or customs broker.
3Example findings
Illustrative findings of the kind the review produces, for a fictional roasted-chickpea snack in 40 g and 150 g pouches, shipping to Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman:
| Finding | Why it matters | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry date appears only on the Arabic sticker | Bahrain's Ministry of Health does not permit stickers for production and expiry dates | Print or stamp both dates on the pouch |
| Sticker placed over the English nutrition panel | Kuwait's inspectors check that no label information is covered; Bahrain requires that required information is not obscured | Move or resize the sticker |
| "Trans fat" translated as دهون غير مشبعة (unsaturated fats) | Flagged by Bahrain's Ministry of Health as an incorrect translation | Use الدهون المتحولة |
| Lecithin listed without its source | Bahrain requires the source of gelatin, lecithins and mono- and di-glycerides | Add the source, e.g. "soy lecithin" |
| ISO 22000 certification logo on the pack | Oman's label rules prohibit logos of quality-management certificates | Remove it from the Oman artwork |
| Arabic letters appear unjoined in the print PDF | A typesetting fault that makes the label unreadable | Re-set in Arabic-aware software and outline the fonts |
| Product not yet registered in Oman; social media ads planned | Registration, label approval and ad approval are all required | Register first; submit each campaign for approval |
4What this service is not
- Not registration or approval. Product registration and label approval are issued by each country's food authority (PAFN in Kuwait, the Food Safety and Quality Center in Oman, the Ministry of Health in Bahrain). We tell you whether registration or label approval is required and what the authority asks for; your importer files it and the authority decides.
- Not laboratory testing. We don't verify your formulation or nutrition values. We check that the label states them correctly.
- No commissions or partner labs. MutabiqAlerts doesn't sell, refer to or earn from any laboratory, certifier or importer, so the review tells you what is needed, not what to buy.
- Not a guarantee of clearance. The review reduces the risk of rejection; it can't remove it.
5How a quote works
| Example scope | One snack product, 2 pouch sizes, English pack + Arabic sticker, into Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman |
| What the quote covers |
|---|
| Label Review per product, per target market |
| Optional: Arabic label text (ingredients, nutrition facts, allergens and all mandatory statements) |
| Optional: review of the printer's proof before mass printing |
| Optional rush delivery: 2 working days instead of 5 |
| Fee: fixed, quoted within one working day of receiving your artwork |
You receive: a PDF gap report (English; Arabic on request), and one re-check of your corrected artwork.
We need from you: pack artwork (all sides), pack and sticker dimensions, the final ingredient list and nutrition table, target markets and sales channel. Files are used only for this review and deleted on request.
Delivery: 5 working days from receipt of complete files and payment.
Payment: 100% before work starts, by bank transfer or PayPal. Transfer fees are paid by the sender.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are covered too; this example uses Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
6Sources
- Kuwait: Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, Ministerial Resolution No. 6 of 2023 regarding the Regulation of Imported Food (English text): pafn.gov.kw
- Bahrain: Ministry of Health, Public Health Directorate, Food Importers Guide to the Kingdom of Bahrain: moh.gov.bh
- Bahrain: Ministry of Health, General Restriction and Requirements Relevant to Prepackaged Food Stuffs Labels: moh.gov.bh
- Oman: Ministerial Decision No. 69/2024 issuing the Regulation on Food Registration and Food Advertising or Promotion: qanoon.om
- GCC: GSO 9 (Labeling of Prepackaged Food Stuffs), GSO 2810 (Declaration of Food Allergens on Prepackaged Food Labels), GSO 2233 (Requirements of Nutritional Labeling), GSO Standardization Organization, referenced by number and title.
Shipping packaged food to the Gulf?
Send your pack artwork and target markets to [email protected] for a quote within one working day.
Service sheet prepared by MutabiqAlerts. Requirements checked against the official texts listed in section 6 on 20 October 2026; the example product, scope and findings are illustrative. Regulatory information only, not legal advice; confirm requirements with the food authority of each country and your importer before acting. MutabiqAlerts is an independent information service: not a laboratory, certification body or notified body, and not affiliated with GSO, any government body or any testing, inspection or certification company. Standards are copyrighted by their publishers and are referenced here by number and title only.