Supermarkets in Abu Dhabi will have to change how they display unhealthy food from next year.
Products high in fat, salt or sugar will no longer be positioned in high-visibility areas such as store entrances, end-of-aisle displays and checkouts from January 1, 2027, under a mandatory policy.
Food and drinks considered unhealthy will also no longer feature prominently on online platforms, including home pages, search results, promotional pop-ups and checkout pages.
The policy applies to physical shops larger than 4,000 square feet, and the products will remain available on shelves for consumers to buy; the policy changes visibility rather than availability.
The initiative has been put forward by the Healthy Living programme, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority.
Dr Ahmed AlKhazraji, executive director of Healthy Living, said the priority was to help people make the right choices before their health became a problem.
“We are not taking away the joy of food or restricting personal choice. Every product remains on the shelf. What changes is visibility and impulse purchase decisions.”
Doctors last week raised the alarm over the health risks of ultra-processed foods after a study in Canada linked their consumption to up to 38 per cent of cardiovascular deaths.
Researchers found the cheap and convenient foods also contributed to up to 37 per cent of coronary heart disease and stroke deaths.
Health campaign
The new policy is the latest in a campaign to promote a healthier lifestyle in Abu Dhabi.
February brought a crackdown on unhealthy food in school lunches and restrictions on fast-food advertising across the emirate.
Mohamed Al Mansoori, director general of the registration authority, said he was committed to ensuring that Abu Dhabi remained an environment where people could thrive, “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.”
Retailers are working to implement the standards. Al Ain Farms recently committed to reduce the sugar content of its products.
Make healthy choice the easy choice
“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,” said Dr AlKhazraji.
“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.”
The policy was developed with the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.
