THE WHAT? Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug regulator, SFDA, has drafted a regulation that, if passed into law, would require the majority of imported food products to be halal-certified, according to a report published by Salaam Gateway, quoting Gulf Trade.

THE DETAILS Currently only meat and meat-based products require halal certification but the new framework would see dairy, oil and fats, confectionery, chilled and frozen foods and long-life products to be certified too.

Implementation is slated for the first half of 2022, with the first four categories subject to the new requirements from January and all implemented by July.

THE WHY? Countries within the GCC are moving towards greater control of halal certification, having already established their own Halal Centers, and Saudi Arabia is no exception.