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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [HEALTH]

3 clusters · 5 sources · 23 days · First seen 27 days ago · Last updated 5 days ago

Abu Dhabi junk-food placement restrictions

Overview

In late July 2026, Abu Dhabi’s Healthy Living programme began directing supermarkets to remove unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks from high-traffic “temptation zones” such as store entrances, aisle ends, and checkout counters. The initiative also broadened the front-of-pack Nutri-Mark grading system (A–E) and promoted the TAMM app for shoppers to access nutritional information on unlabelled items.

A week later, the programme announced a formal rule that will take effect on 1 January 2027. All supermarkets and grocery retailers larger than 4,000 sq ft must cease displaying high-fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) foods and drinks in prominent locations, including online platforms such as homepages or search results. The regulation, backed by the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the Department of Health, and several other government bodies, does not ban the products but aims to make healthier options the default choice through behavioural science.

As the deadline approaches, retailers including Choithrams are already reviewing store layouts and merchandising strategies to replace unhealthy impulse buys with healthier alternatives. These retailers must adjust both physical store configurations and digital interfaces to comply with the new standards, which utilize the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre’s SEHHI classification system.

Entities

Abu Dhabi · Choithrams · Ministry of Climate Change and Environment · Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) · Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 4 SOURCES] Abu Dhabi will implement a policy restricting placement of high‑fat, salt and sugar foods in supermarkets and online from 1 January 2027.
[● 4 SOURCES] The policy also applies to online grocery platforms, limiting prominence of HFSS products on homepages, search results, pop‑ups and checkout pages.
[● 4 SOURCES] The policy does not ban the sale of HFSS products; they remain available in regular aisles and online listings.
[● 3 SOURCES] The policy applies to physical supermarkets larger than 4,000 square feet.
[● 3 SOURCES] Healthy Living launched the policy in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) and other local health agencies.
[● 3 SOURCES] Mohamed Munif Al Mansoori is Director‑General of ADRA and said the initiative reflects the emirate’s commitment to consumer well‑being.
[● 3 SOURCES] Dr Ahmed AlKhazraiji is Executive Director of Healthy Living and said the approach is based on behavioural science to make healthier choices the default.

Timeline

5 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Abu Dhabi retailers prepare for new unhealthy food display rules
Abu Dhabi retailers are adjusting store layouts to comply with upcoming 2027 rules restricting the display of unhealthy foods, while the UAE ministry urges households to reduce food waste.
20 days ago

[HEALTH] 4 sources
Abu Dhabi bans junk‑food placement at supermarket entrances, checkouts from 2027
From 1 Jan 2027 Abu Dhabi will bar high‑fat, salt and sugar foods from supermarket entrances, checkout areas and prominent online spots, though the items will stay on regular shelves.
27 days ago

[HEALTH] 2 sources
Abu Dhabi supermarkets remove junk food from high‑traffic zones
Abu Dhabi’s Healthy Living programme orders supermarkets to pull junk food from entrance, aisle ends and checkout areas, adding Nutri‑Mark labels and a TAMM app to guide healthier choices.

Sources

gulf-insider.com · gulfnews.com · KhaleejTimes.com · m135.com · secretabudhabi.ae

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history