Article 3 of the Saudi Food Law
المادة 3 من نظام الغذاء · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
The article provides that the Food Law applies to all stages of the food chain, with no stage excepted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على جميع مراحل السلسلة الغذائية.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 3 explained in plain English
This article sets the scope of application of the Food Law in a short, broad phrase: its provisions apply to all stages of the food chain.
To grasp how wide this scope is, one refers to the definition of the food chain in Article 1, which is the stages food goes through from primary production until it reaches the consumer, including:
- Primary production, such as raising farm animals before slaughter, farming, milking, harvesting and hunting.
- Importing and exporting.
- Manufacturing, preparing, treating, packing, packaging and processing.
- Storing, transporting, possessing and distributing.
- Displaying for sale and selling, and also distributing free of charge.
In practice, this means the law is not limited to factories or importers, but addresses everyone who deals with food at any link, from the farm to the store, and it also covers those who distribute food without charge. This connects to the aims in Article 2, since food safety cannot be ensured except by monitoring it at every stage.
Note that the definition of a food establishment in Article 1 excludes family home kitchens, so the law is directed at the legal entities that handle food.
Practical example
A transport company in Jeddah carries shipments of chilled meat between warehouses and stores. Although it neither makes nor sells food, transport is a stage of the food chain, so the provisions of the Food Law apply to it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 3 of the Saudi Food Law
Does the Food Law cover someone who distributes food free of charge?
Yes. The definition of the food chain includes distribution free of charge, and the law applies to all its stages.
Does the Food Law apply to farms?
The definition of the food chain includes primary production such as farming, raising farm animals, milking and harvesting, and the law applies to all its stages.
More articles on Definitions of the Food Law and Its Aims
- Article 1
The article sets the meanings of the terms used in the Food Law, such as food, food establishment, food chain, food label, food recall and inspection.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية أينما وردت في هذا النظام المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: 1 - النظام : نظام الغذاء. 2 - الهيئة : الهيئة
- Article 2
The article states the aims of the Food Law: ensuring food safety and improving its quality, protecting consumer health and protecting the consumer from harmful or adulterated food, and not obstructing the food trade.
يهدف هذا النظام إلى الآتي: 1 - ضمان سلامة الغذاء، والعمل على تحسين جودته. 2 - حماية الصحة العامة للمستهلك من خلال تقليل المخاطر المرتبطة بالغذاء، ونشر التوعية ا
- Article 44
Article 44 requires the Board to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Food Law within 180 days of its publication in the Official Gazette, to take effect from the date the Law takes effect.
يصدر المجلس اللائحة خلال (مائة وثمانين) يوماً من تاريخ نشر هذا النظام في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها ابتداءً من تاريخ العمل به.
- Article 45
Article 45 provides that the Food Law takes effect 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette and repeals every provision that conflicts with it.
يعمل بهذا النظام بعد (مائة وثمانين) يوماً من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية، ويلغي كل ما يتعارض معه من أحكام.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.