Saudi Arabia has issued new regulations for grocery retailers and restaurant operators as part of its reforms of the retail sector.

The local government has recently banned grocery stores, locally known as baqalas, from selling tobacco, dates, meat, fruit, and vegetables. From now on, these products may only be sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets, with the sale of meat requiring a separate license.

The new rules were announced late last month and took effect immediately; however, existing stores have a correction period of up to six months.

Minimum floor space requirements were also implemented, including 24sqm for grocery stores, 100sqm for supermarkets and 500sqm for hypermarkets.

As part of the reforms, the government has introduced new regulations requiring restaurants and cafes to display detailed nutritional information on their menus.

Accordingly, establishments must mark high-sodium dishes with a saltshaker symbol, list caffeine levels in drinks, and provide the approximate time needed to expend the calories in each menu item.

The rules, part of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) directive effective from July 1, apply to both physical and online menus, including those on food delivery platforms.

The move aims to help customers make informed food choices in response to growing health concerns, including obesity and high blood pressure.

The SFDA has provided guidelines on sodium labelling, caffeine disclosure and calorie expenditure on its “Mwasfah” platform.