SFDA, SASO, the GSO 2055 standards and recognition of the certification body: what you really need to avoid your goods being stopped at customs.
Saudi Arabia is the market with the highest unit value for Italian agri-food exports to the Islamic world, and also one of the most structured in terms of controls. To enter it, a Halal certificate alone is not enough: you need a certificate issued by a body recognised by the Saudi authorities and coordinated with the product's conformity formalities.
Who does what: SFDA, SASO and the Saudi Halal system
SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) is the competent authority for food, medicines and devices: it oversees imports and health and labelling requirements.
SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) is the organisation responsible for standardisation and product conformity.
The Saudi Halal system oversees the recognition of foreign certification bodies: this is where it is decided whether your certificate is valid at customs or not.
The technical reference standards for the Gulf are GSO 2055-1:2015 (requirements for Halal products) and GSO 2055-2:2021 (requirements for certification bodies).
The most costly mistake. Presenting a Halal certificate at customs issued by a body not recognised by the Saudi system. The product may be perfectly compliant in substance and still be rejected because of a recognition defect of the body. Recognition must be checked before starting certification, not after.
What is required in practice
Check of the body's recognition for the Saudi market.
Definition of scope: the product codes actually intended for the market, and the production sites involved.
Ingredient analysis: complete bill of materials, documented origin of additives, flavourings, enzymes, gelatines and fats. For beverages and flavoured products, pay attention to alcohol-based carriers.
Process evaluation and, for the meat chain, verification of the ritual according to the applicable requirements.
On-site audit and closure of findings.
Issue of the certificate for the products and market within scope.
Coordination with import formalities: labelling, health documentation, registrations required by the authority.
The meat chain to the Gulf
For meat and meat products the requirements are stricter than for food in general: the slaughter ritual must be verified on site according to OIC/SMIIC 1:2019 and GSO 2055, with particular attention to the slaughterman, the cut, bleeding, the handling of stunning and separation from the non-Halal chain. Those targeting the Saudi market should consider these requirements when designing the process, not as a final formality. Details are on the page dedicated to Halal certification for meat and slaughter.
Labelling: the detail that stops containers
A significant share of customs holds depends not on the product but on the label: language, product name, ingredient list, mandatory particulars, correct reproduction of the certification mark. It pays to have draft labels checked before printing: correcting a label is cheap, relabelling a held container is not.
The other Gulf markets
Those looking at Saudi Arabia generally also look at the Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. The GSO standards provide a common basis, but each country has its own authority and its own formalities: EIAC and GAC for the Emirates and the Gulf. Defining several markets at the start of the process costs less than adding them one at a time.
Want to understand what the Saudi market requires in your specific case? The preliminary evaluation is free.
Is any Halal certificate enough to export to Saudi Arabia?
No. The certificate must be issued by a body recognised by the Saudi Halal system. A product that is compliant in substance can be rejected because of a recognition defect of the body that issued the certificate.
What is the difference between SFDA and SASO?
SFDA is the competent authority for food, medicines and devices and oversees import requirements. SASO is the organisation responsible for standardisation and product conformity.
Which standards apply in the Gulf?
The main references are GSO 2055-1:2015 for the requirements on Halal products and GSO 2055-2:2021 for the requirements applicable to certification bodies, supplemented by the national standards of individual countries.
Can I certify for Saudi Arabia and the Emirates together?
Yes, and it is the most efficient choice: defining several markets at the start of the process costs less than adding them one at a time later on.
Should the label be checked before printing?
It is strongly recommended. A significant share of customs holds depends on labelling defects rather than on the product: correcting a draft is cheap, relabelling a held container is not.
Legal notes: HQC Italia operates in accordance with the international standards OIC/SMIIC 1:2019, OIC/SMIIC 2:2019, OIC/SMIIC 4:2018, GSO 2055-1:2015, GSO 2055-2:2021, UAE.S 2055-1:2015, UAE.S 2055-2:2016, MS 1500:2019 and BPJPH Decree 78/2023.