Article 40 of the Saudi Food Law
المادة 40 من نظام الغذاء · الفصل الثاني عشر: أحكام ختامية
Article 40 allows financial rewards to be given to the Authority's inspectors, by decision of the Board, for work that helps avoid harm to consumers or public health.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز منح مفتشي الهيئة مكافآت مالية بقرار من المجلس نظير ما يقدمونه من أعمال تؤدي إلى تفادي وقوع ضرر على المستهلك، أو على الصحة العامة.
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 40 explained in plain English
This article deals with motivating the Authority's inspectors in their oversight work, by allowing them to be given financial rewards.
Conditions of the reward as stated in the text:
- Beneficiary: the Authority's inspectors. Under Article 1, an inspector is a person appropriately qualified for the nature of the task assigned to them within food oversight work.
- Means of granting: a decision of the Board, meaning the Authority's Board of Directors.
- Reason: work the inspector provides that leads to avoiding harm to the consumer or to public health.
The grant here is discretionary: the text says "may", so an inspector does not have a fixed right to a reward merely for doing their job. The article also does not set the amount or criteria of the reward; that is left to the Board's decision.
The article's focus on "avoiding harm" reflects the Law's orientation toward prevention, since the reward is tied to preventing harm before it occurs.
This article comes after Article 39, under which the Board sets the financial charges for the Authority's services and licenses, and is followed by Article 41, which allows an incentive reward of up to 25% of the fine due to be given to a person who helps, other than the Authority's inspectors or the bodies it enlists, in uncovering a violation. The two articles together regulate rewards for inspectors and for others.
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 40 of the Saudi Food Law
Do the Food and Drug Authority's inspectors receive rewards?
They may be given financial rewards by decision of the Board for work that leads to avoiding harm to the consumer or public health.
Who decides an inspector's reward?
The Authority's Board of Directors, by its decision.
More articles on Food Monitoring and Inspection
- Article 19
Article 19 allows the Authority to evaluate food before, during and after marketing when needed, and to take the measures set by the Regulations in light of the result.
للهيئة أن تقوِّم الغذاء قبل تسويقه وفي أثنائه وبعد التسويق إذا تطلب الأمر ذلك، ولها - في ضوء نتيجة التقويم - اتخاذ الإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 21
Article 21 tasks the Authority with setting up and running a rapid alert system to report food-related dangers to human health and with raising consumer awareness, per procedures in the Regulations.
تنشئ الهيئة وتدير نظام إنذار سريع للتبليغ عن أي خطر مباشر أو غير مباشر على صحة الإنسان يكون مصدره الغذاء، وتوعية المستهلك بالوسائل التي تراها مناسبة، وذلك وفقاً
- Article 22
Article 22 makes the Authority the body legally empowered to inspect food establishments and facilities to apply the Food Law and its regulations, with security agencies' help when needed.
الهيئة هي الجهة المخولة نظاماً بتفتيش المنشآت والمرافق الغذائية فيما يخص تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام ولوائحه، ولها الاستعانة بالجهات الأمنية عند الحاجة.
- Article 23
Article 23 assigns oversight, inspection and the recording of violations to inspectors named by decision of the President, and gives them the powers of criminal investigation officers.
يتولى مفتشون - يصدر بتسميتهم قرار من الرئيس - أعمال الرقابة والتفتيش وضبط المخالفات، وتكون لهم صلاحيات وسلطات مأموري الضبط الجنائي.
- Article 24
Article 24 lets an inspector who shows a work ID enter food establishments, review records and take food samples, and requires the establishment to allow this and not obstruct.
للمفتش عند إبرازه بطاقة هويته الوظيفية دخول المنشآت والمرافق الغذائية لغرض التفتيش، وله الاطلاع على المستندات والسجلات والاحتفاظ بنسخة منها إذا لزم الأمر، كما ي
- Article 25
Article 25 lets an inspector seize food that violates the Law or its regulations and take necessary measures per the Regulations, and makes seizure mandatory if the food is unsafe.
إذا ظهر للمفتش وجود غذاء مخالف لأحكام هذا النظام أو لوائحه؛ فله حجزه واتخاذ التدابير اللازمة وفقاً للإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة، على أن يكون الحجز وجوبيًّا إذا
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.