Gulf production and expiry dates

GCC packs must carry both a production and an expiry date under GSO 150 and GSO 9 — no re-stickering, plus the exemptions.

Two dates, both mandatory

GCC food labels must show both a production (manufacturing) date and an expiry (best-before or use-by) date, under GSO 150 and GSO 9. Both dates are mandatory — a single date is not enough. They tell the Gulf buyer when the product was made and how long it stays good, and inspectors check for both.

Printed by the manufacturer, never altered

The dates must be printed by the manufacturer. Re-stickering, altering or covering the original dates is prohibited, and the GCC authorities enforce this strictly — an importer cannot relabel an expiry date to extend shelf life. Print the dates at source, clearly and durably, so they survive the journey to shelf.

Products that can be exempt

Some products are exempt from parts of the rule. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be exempt from carrying dates at all, and certain products such as spices, salt and sugar can be exempt from carrying an expiry date. Confirm your product's status before deciding to leave a date off — the default is to carry both.

Format and language

Dates are shown in a clear day/month/year form and appear in Arabic, in line with the wider Arabic-labelling requirement. Keep the format unambiguous so there is no confusion between day and month, and place the dates where they are easy to find. LabelYog builds it from your recipe.

At a glance

• Production (manufacturing) date shown
• Expiry (best-before or use-by) date shown
• Dates printed by the manufacturer, not applied later
• No re-stickering, altering or covering of original dates
• Exemption status checked for fresh produce, spices, salt and sugar
• Dates in clear day/month/year form and readable in Arabic

Questions