Abu Dhabi introduces responsible food placement policy for supermarkets, online platforms

Healthy Living, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development’s (ADDED) arm for regulating and developing the business sector in the emirate, has launched a new policy redesigning the in-store layouts and online interfaces of supermarkets across Abu Dhabi. 

The initiative will ensure that high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) food and beverage (F&B) products are no longer positioned in the highest-traffic, highest-visibility locations consumers encounter across the emirate. 

The new policy will be mandatory for compliance from 1st January 2027. It regulates the placement and promotion of HFSS F&B within physical and online supermarket retail environments, without restricting their sale. 

The policy was developed in close collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH), Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA). 

Under the new policy, F&B products considered unhealthy under the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) SEHHI classification will no longer be permitted in high-exposure locations, including store entrances, end-of-aisle displays and checkout areas or featured prominently on online supermarket platforms, including home pages, search results, promotional pop-ups, and checkout pages. For physical retailers, the policy applies to stores larger than 4,000 sqft. 

Consumers will continue to have full access to their preferred products as the policy simply ensures that less nutritious options are not actively placed in the most visible and high-traffic locations. Products will remain available in-aisle for consumers who wish to purchase them. 

Mohamed Munif Al Mansoori, Director-General of ADRA, said, “We are working closely with relevant entities to meet the growing demands of consumers, placing their health, safety, and well-being at the top of our priorities. Our collaboration with Healthy Living reflects a shared commitment to making healthier choices easier and accessible for all consumers. In addition to ensuring compliance of commercial entities with regulations and standards, we also deliver awareness campaigns that empower consumers to make more informed decisions and better understand the choices available to them in the market.” 

Dr Ahmed AlKhazraiji, Executive Director of Healthy Living, said, "In Abu Dhabi, our commitment to prevention as the foundation of a healthier society is what Healthy Living was built on, and this policy is a direct reflection of that. Our approach is rooted in behavioural science and real-world evidence, and interventions like this have delivered measurable results globally. When the products consumers encounter first are not the least nutritious options, healthier choices become the natural default - empowering people to make better decisions." 

In developing the policy, Healthy Living and ADRA worked closely with retailers across Abu Dhabi to ensure the approach reflects the operational realities of the sector while drawing on international best practices. 

Retailers across the emirate are now working towards implementation of the standards, with Carrefour being one of the first to complete implementation across its stores in Abu Dhabi ahead of the mandatory compliance deadline. 

Ahmed Galal Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Holding, said, “We are proud to support this ambition and to have achieved compliance with the Responsible Food and Beverage Placement Standards across our Carrefour stores in Abu Dhabi. We remain committed to creating environments that deliver healthier, more convenient shopping experiences for the millions of customers we serve each year."

WAM