Corrective period begins for compliance with new grocery retailers rules in Saudi

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) headquarters

The 180-day corrective period granted by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) for compliance of Saudi-based grocery retailers with the recently-introduced rules began on July 14.

This applies to existing grocery establishments, including minimarkets, supermarkets, and hypermarkets.

The new regulations aim to improve the working environment to meet the aspirations and goals of both individuals and society, while also enhancing food safety standards.

According to Argaam data, MOMAH issued a ministerial decree last month approving this suite of regulations, which came into force upon publication.

The new requirements include specific spatial requirements that such establishments must meet within their premises’ masterplans, as indicated in the following table:

The regulations also define the activities permitted for minimarkets, supermarkets, and hypermarkets. Among the key provisions, one prohibits minimarkets from selling tobacco products, as outlined in the table below:

xActivity not permitted to add or practice

*Requires adding the activity to the license
**Requires a separate license