Importing products into Saudi Arabia involves more than obtaining a SABER certificate and arranging customs clearance. Product labels are an important part of Saudi product safety, conformity assessment and consumer protection requirements, and the exact rules depend on the product category and applicable Saudi Technical Regulation.
The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) establishes technical regulations and standards for a wide range of products, while the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) regulates products falling within its jurisdiction, including food and certain other regulated categories. (SASO)
For importers, the safest approach is to determine the labeling requirements before artwork is finalized and packaging is printed.
What Must a Product Label in Saudi Arabia Include?
There is no single universal label template for every product sold in Saudi Arabia. Requirements are established through the applicable technical regulation and relevant Saudi/GCC standards.
However, commonly required product information can include:
- Product name and type
- Brand name
- Manufacturer’s name and address
- Country of origin
- Importer or supplier information, where required
- Model or product identification
- Net quantity, weight or volume
- Production and expiry dates, where applicable
- Batch or lot number
- Ingredients or material composition
- Instructions for use
- Storage conditions
- Safety warnings and symbols
- Relevant conformity marks
- Other information specified by the applicable technical regulation
SASO specifically advises consumers to check explanatory product information such as country of origin, manufacturer name and address, production and expiry dates, product name and warning information. SASO also states that required explanatory information should be provided in Arabic, or Arabic and English, clearly and in a manner that is difficult to remove.
The important point is that this is a starting checklist, not a substitute for checking the specific Technical Regulation.
Arabic Labeling Is a Compliance Requirement
For many products, Arabic is not simply a marketing preference.
SASO’s product safety framework requires manufacturers, authorized representatives and importers to provide consumers with information relating to product risks and safety. Technical regulations can specify the nature, format and terminology of information that must appear on products and packaging.
For food products, the requirement is particularly explicit. SFDA confirms that under SFDA.FD/GSO 9, Labelling of Prepackaged Foodstuffs, labeling and accompanying explanatory information must be in Arabic; where another language is used, it must appear alongside Arabic and the information must be identical.
Translation Alone Is Not Enough
A common mistake is to translate an existing English label into Arabic at the final stage.
The Arabic and English versions should communicate the same information, while the wording should also be consistent with the technical file, test reports, product specifications and SABER registration.
For example, if the English label identifies a detergent concentration of one percentage, while the Arabic label states another, the problem is not merely a translation error; it can become a product compliance issue.
Product-Specific Labeling Requirements
Saudi Arabia has numerous Technical Regulations covering different product categories. SASO’s current database includes regulations for detergents, leather products, low-voltage electrical equipment, textiles, packaging, paints and varnishes, lubricants, toys and other categories. (Saber)
Electrical Appliances
Electrical products can have specific requirements concerning rating plates, identification, warnings, electrical specifications and conformity documentation.
The label should correspond with the product’s technical documentation and applicable standards. Information such as model number, manufacturer, electrical ratings and relevant warnings should not differ between the physical product, technical file and certification documents.
Detergents
Saudi Arabia has a dedicated Technical Regulation for Detergents.
Depending on the product, labeling may need to address product identification, composition, instructions, warnings, storage and other safety information.
For detergent importers, the label should therefore be reviewed together with the formulation and technical documentation rather than treated as standalone packaging artwork.
Leather Products
SASO’s Technical Regulation for Leather Products requires explanatory information to be legible and non-erasable, and states that data shall be in Arabic or Arabic and English. It also requires information to be correct, proven and verifiable. The regulation identifies information such as product name, type, brand and country of origin.
This illustrates why requirements can vary considerably between product categories.
Food Products
Food labeling falls under the jurisdiction of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) rather than being treated in exactly the same way as ordinary SASO-regulated products.
Among other requirements, SFDA applies SFDA.FD/GSO 9 to prepackaged food labeling and has additional regulations covering areas such as nutritional labeling and expiration dates.
Importers should therefore establish whether their product falls under SASO, SFDA or another Saudi regulatory authority before preparing the label.
How SABER and Product Labeling Are Connected
A product label should not be designed independently from the SABER certification process.
The SABER platform facilitates product registration, conformity certificates and shipment certificates for products entering the Saudi market.
Under the Saudi Product Safety Law, manufacturers, authorized representatives and importers of products subject to technical regulations must maintain a technical file demonstrating conformity, complete the applicable conformity assessment procedure and comply with requirements concerning conformity marks and product information.
This creates a practical three-way check:
Physical Product > Label/Packaging > Technical Documentation & SABER Registration
The information should be consistent across all three.
What PCAS Sees in Practice
PCAS works with international clients across multiple product categories, including electrical appliances, detergents and leather products.
One recurring problem is that packaging artwork is finalized before the applicable Saudi requirements have been properly assessed. A manufacturer may then discover that an Arabic statement, warning, product identification detail or other mandatory information needs to be changed after thousands of packages have already been printed.
That can mean reprinting, relabeling, delayed shipments and additional costs.
PCAS’s practical recommendation is simple: “Review the label before mass printing, not after the product reaches Saudi Arabia.”
Check the product classification, applicable Technical Regulation, label artwork, technical file and SABER information together.
Common Product Labeling Mistakes
The most frequent problems include:
- Missing or inadequate Arabic information
- Incorrect country-of-origin information
- Mismatch between label and technical documentation
- Incorrect model or product identification
- Missing safety warnings or instructions
- Unsubstantiated or misleading product claims
- Incorrect measurement units or quantities
- Using an outdated standard or technical requirement
- Printing packaging before compliance review
- Assuming compliance in another country automatically satisfies Saudi requirements
These issues can create additional questions during conformity assessment or complications when products are examined at the Saudi market or customs stage.
Important 2026 Labeling Update
Importers should pay particular attention to current SASO/SABER updates.
SABER currently carries an official notice that, from 1 October 2026, the name of the supplier, defined in the notice as the importer or local manufacturer, and the Commercial Registration (CR) number will become mandatory labeling information for products covered by 10 specified Technical Regulations.
This is a good example of why importers should verify the applicable requirements before approving new packaging artwork. A label that was acceptable for an earlier shipment may require updating when a new requirement becomes mandatory.
Pre-Printing Compliance Checklist
Before approving product packaging, importers should verify:
- Applicable Saudi Technical Regulation
- Correct product classification
- Required Arabic information
- Product name and identification
- Manufacturer/supplier information
- Country of origin
- Model/SKU information
- Quantity and measurement units
- Ingredients/material composition, where applicable
- Warnings and safety instructions
- Batch/date information, where required
- Required conformity marks
- Consistency with test reports and technical file
- Consistency with SABER registration
- Latest version of the applicable standard/regulation
Why Choose PCAS for Saudi Product Compliance?
PCAS knows what happens in practice.
PCAS specializes in product registration, certification, conformity assessment, import, export and trade facilitation for the Saudi market, working with the relevant Saudi authorities and certification processes.
The company facilitates 25+ certification areas, supports 30+ product categories, and has worked with 50+ global clients.
The objective is not simply to complete a certification application. It is to ensure that the product, label, technical documentation, conformity certification and shipment information are aligned before goods enter the Saudi market.
Avoid costly labeling and certification delays, get your Saudi product compliance checked before you ship.
Contact PCAS at +971 56 666 1615 or info@pcas-cert.com for expert guidance.
Regulations Change: Verify Before You Print
Saudi product labeling requirements continue to evolve as SASO updates Technical Regulations, standards and implementation requirements. SASO’s regulatory database itself shows ongoing additions and updates, including regulations with mandatory application dates extending into 2026.
Importers should therefore verify the requirements applicable to their specific product before approving artwork, printing packaging or shipping goods.
For businesses seeking Saudi product labeling compliance, SABER certification, SASO certification, product registration or conformity assessment support, PCAS can assist with the compliance process from product assessment through certification and shipment preparation.
