The Complete Guide to Calorie Display Rules Across the GCC

Calorie-display mandates have swept across the GCC over the past seven years. What started with the UAE in 2017 has expanded to every Gulf country, each with slightly different rules, different enforcing bodies, and different penalties. This guide breaks it down country by country. ## United Arab Emirates **Regulator**: Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority **Mandate**: Since 2019 for chains with 5+ branches **Requirement**: Calories per serving, serving size, daily reference statement **Penalties**: AED 500–2,000 per violation, potential license suspension The UAE was the first GCC country to enforce calorie display. Dubai Municipality conducts regular inspections, and the requirement is expected to expand to all food establishments. ## Saudi Arabia **Regulator**: Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) **Mandate**: Since 2018, expanded to 3+ branches in 2023 **Requirement**: Calories in kcal, serving description, Arabic-language display mandatory **Penalties**: SAR 10,000–50,000, temporary closure for repeated violations SFDA is the strictest enforcer in the region. Their field teams and mystery shoppers conduct unannounced inspections. ## Kuwait **Regulator**: Kuwait Municipality / KFDA **Mandate**: Since 2020 for multi-branch operations **Requirement**: Calorie counts, Arabic primary language **Penalties**: Warning, then fines ## Qatar **Regulator**: Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) **Mandate**: Since 2021 **Requirement**: Calories in Arabic and English **Penalties**: Municipality enforcement during inspections ## Oman **Regulator**: Ministry of Health **Mandate**: Not yet mandatory, but strongly encouraged **Requirement**: Arabic-language menus mandatory regardless ## Bahrain **Regulator**: NHRA **Mandate**: Voluntary, with increasing encouragement **Requirement**: Arabic menus mandatory; VAT display at 10% is the main compliance focus ## How to Comply Easily The simplest path to compliance across all GCC countries is a digital menu platform that handles calorie display, Arabic-language requirements, and VAT formatting automatically. Qaima does all three out of the box, regardless of which country you're in.