Arabic food labelling in the Gulf
Arabic is mandatory on GCC food packs under GSO 9. What must appear in Arabic, and where English is allowed alongside it.
Arabic is mandatory across the GCC
In the six GCC markets — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — a consumer food label must be in Arabic, or carry an Arabic translation of the label, under GSO 9. Arabic is required on every consumer pack; a label printed in English alone will be rejected at the border. If you export across the Gulf, plan the artwork around Arabic from the start rather than treating it as an add-on.
What must be available in Arabic
All mandatory information has to be readable in Arabic. That means the product name, the full ingredient list, the nutritional information, the allergen warnings, storage and usage instructions, the manufacturer and importer details, the country of origin, and the production and expiry dates. Nothing on the mandatory set can be Arabic-optional — if a buyer needs it to make a safe choice, it appears in Arabic.
English can sit alongside, not instead
English, or another language, may appear next to the Arabic — most Gulf packs are bilingual. What English cannot do is replace Arabic on any mandatory element. Treat English as a second column, not a substitute: every Arabic declaration should have its English mirror, and every mandatory English line should have its Arabic mirror.
National rules on top of GSO 9
GSO 9 is the shared Gulf baseline, but national authorities add their own requirements. SFDA in Saudi Arabia and ESMA in the UAE each layer country-specific rules — registration, specific wording, and market-entry checks — that an exporter should verify before printing. Confirm the destination authority's current requirements alongside the GSO baseline, then build the bilingual artwork once. LabelYog builds it from your recipe.
At a glance
- Product name printed in Arabic
- Full ingredient list in Arabic
- Nutrition and allergen information in Arabic
- Manufacturer, importer and country of origin in Arabic
- Production and expiry dates readable in Arabic
- English (if used) placed alongside Arabic, never replacing it
Questions
Can I export to the Gulf with an English-only label?
No. Under GSO 9 the label must be in Arabic or carry an Arabic translation of the label, so an English-only pack will not clear.
Does the whole label have to be bilingual?
Every mandatory element must be available in Arabic. English may appear alongside, but it cannot replace Arabic on any required information.
Which items count as mandatory in Arabic?
The name, ingredients, nutrition, allergens, storage and usage, manufacturer and importer, country of origin, and production and expiry dates.
Is one Arabic label enough for all six GCC countries?
GSO 9 gives a shared baseline, but SFDA in Saudi Arabia and ESMA in the UAE add national requirements you should verify per market.
Can an importer add an Arabic sticker later?
An Arabic translation must be present, but re-stickering to alter mandatory dates is prohibited; plan the Arabic into the original artwork.
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