Dubai Municipality Arabic Labels | Product Label Rules

You make artisan hot sauce. Or organic granola. Or handmade soap. You got a stall at Ripe Market. You printed beautiful labels in English. Then Dubai Municipality stopped by and said the labels need Arabic. Your hot sauce can’t be sold until the ingredients, allergens, and storage instructions are in Arabic too.

What the law requires

UAE Federal Law mandates Arabic labeling on all consumer products sold in the country. This isn’t a guideline, it’s a legal requirement. Dubai Municipality enforces it at markets, retail stores, and online sales.

At minimum, your Arabic label must include:

• Product name in Arabic
• Ingredients list in descending order of weight, using correct Arabic terminology
• Allergen warnings:* nuts, gluten, dairy, etc.
• Net weight or volume
• Storage instructions:* “keep refrigerated,” “store in cool dry place”
• Expiry date or “best before” date
• Manufacturer or producer details

Why Google Translate won’t work

Ingredient names have specific Arabic food science terminology. “Xanthan gum” isn’t translated literally. It has a standard Arabic term used in food labeling. “Sodium benzoate” has an Arabic chemical name. Allergen warnings must use the terms that UAE consumers and inspectors recognise.

A mistranslated allergen warning is a liability issue. If your label says something is nut-free in Arabic but the English lists tree nuts, the Arabic label is what a consumer reads. And reads wrong.

The process

1. Prepare your complete English label with all required information.
2. Get it professionally translated into Arabic using correct food/cosmetic terminology.
3. Print bilingual labels (English and Arabic side by side is the standard format).
4. Have the labels ready before your market date or retail placement.

If you’re launching a product at a Dubai market or retail store and need Arabic labels, send your ingredient list on WhatsApp. Our number is +971 50 862 0217. We’ll provide the Arabic translation with correct food science terminology.