SFDA Requirements for Food and Cosmetics

SFDA REQUIREMENTS FOR FOOD

Capable of rapidly shipping fruits, vegetables, sugar, grains, spices, and meat to the Arab nations, India has emerged as the top food exporter to the 22-nation League of Arab States for the first time in 15 years, replacing Brazil. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) is a separate agency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that works to guarantee the country's access to safe foods and medications.

In Saudi Arabia, food and drug products are subject to several specifications and mandatory registration requirements upheld by the SFDA regulations. To comply with the SFDA requirements, exporters/importers trading in food products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) must clear their food consignments at the Saudi customs, validated by obtaining a Certificate of Conformity (CoC).

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

TÜV SÜD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. is approved as a testing lab and CoC provider by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) for all types of food products and has successfully carried out testing parameters of over 1000 samples for exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

While most products entering the Saudi Arabian market must meet the relevant requirements of the authorities, product safety requirements and regulations like the SFDA scheme are also put in place to reduce risks, improve quality, and ensure safety during use. In the case of the SFDA and India, import is permitted only from approved establishments.

As SFDA compliance requirements and regulations can pose challenges to companies while exploring new territories, market leaders like TÜV SÜD ensure that your products successfully meet Saudi Arabian standards. Our expertise and knowledge help you access key markets efficiently while being assured of our objectivity and integrity.

SFDA FOOD CONSIGNMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME EXPORTER AND IMPORTER GUIDELINES

The SDFA certification includes:

• Technical evaluation of the documents includes Application Review (RFC Form) of SFDA Food Consignment Certification Request
• Testing and analysis of food samples in our lab
• Checking conformity with regulations and overall assessment of conformity to the required standards
• Label review, based on SFDA requirements
• Consignment Inspection, Supervision of Container Loading , Sampling and Container Sealing
• The SDFA Certificate of Conformity (CoC issuance)

We can help you to:

• Ensure compliance with SFDA technical regulations and GSO/SASO standards
• Acquire your SFDA certificate of conformity
• Avoid delays on clearing goods at destination
• Ensure smooth and quick clearance of your consignments at Saudi customs
• Prevent losses caused by the rejection of non-compliant goods

SFDA REQUIREMENTS FOR COSMETICS

TÜV SÜD is authorised by the Saudi Food & Drugs Authority (SFDA) to issue a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) for exports of all regulated cosmetic products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

As a trusted partner of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, TÜV SÜD is approved to support the SFDA Cosmetics programme and perform conformity assessment of cosmetic products, ensure that you are up to date with the latest requirements from The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) when importing cosmetics into Saudi Arabia.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

Our role is to assess and verify the compliance of cosmetic products that will be exported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in accordance with all regulations, rules and specifications approved by SFDA. To facilitate this process, TÜV SÜD supports you with the following requirements.

Requirements to obtain your mandatory Certificate of Conformity:

• The importer must have a valid Commercial Registration Certificate which includes Cosmetics Trade as a registered commercial activity.
• The importer must have an account with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), and a valid SFDA Warehouse License.
• Cosmetics and Perfumery Products must be notified on SFDA Electronic System eCosma.
• A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is mandatory before shipment.
• The products must comply with GSO Technical Regulation GSO 1943/2016.
• The labelling and marking should meet the SFDA requirements.
• The labelling must in Arabic and should not contain graphics, images or phrases that are inconsistent with Islamic traditions and prevailing social values in GCC countries.

SFDA market access requirements :

• Enter product info in eCosma (warehouse licence, product notification, etc.)
• Ensure the product complies with GSO 1943/2016
• Present a CoC for each shipment, issued by a SDFA approved Certification Body

Required documentation:

• Completed Request for Certification (RFC)
• Proforma/final invoice
• eCosma numbers for all products
• Batch numbers for all products
• Warehouse license number of the importer
• Technical documents (test reports, ingredient list, specifications sheets, analysis reports, product labels, PIF, etc.) and test reports
• Quality Management System documents / GMP certification

HOW YOU CAN OBTAIN YOUR CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY (CoC)

Before goods are shipped, an SFDA Certificate of Conformity is issued to attest to compliance and guarantee that your shipments will be accepted at Saudi ports and borders.

TÜV SÜD has the expertise and laboratory infrastructure to support manufacturers in obtaining the necessary approvals and compliance in accordance with Saudi Arabia's standards and requirements. Our test reports are accepted for safety approval and recognised by relevant authorities internationally. We also support manufacturers in obtaining voluntary endorsement labels.

Frequently Asked Questions