How to Register Food Products in Dubai?
The Government of Dubai has given utmost importance to check the quality of food products that enters the domestic market. Every product is required to adhere to high standards to ensure that the safety of consumers and the quality of the public health system are enhanced. For this, the Dubai Government has made it mandatory for every food product to be registered with the Dubai Municipality before entering the market.
It is mandatory that the registered food product should display all the vital information of the ingredients, country of origin, etc. This ensures that the consumers get all the sufficient information to file a case against the product in the event of detecting harmful substances in the food product. In this way, the food product registration serves as the best form of protecting the health, hygiene, and safety of Dubai residents.
Process of Registering Food Products With Dubai Municipality
Every food product that is manufactured or imported in Dubai needs to be registered with the Dubai Municipality. The local manufacturers, importers must approach the Consumer Products Safety Section to make sure their products are properly registered. The process of registration can be done by a representative of the food product company. A product that is not registered with the Dubai Municipality will be regarded as fake goods and will face rejection during shipment.
For registering the food product with the Dubai Municipality, the companies need to undergo a slew of steps including barcode registration, label assessment, and laboratory tests. Trademark agents in the UAE also offer product registration services, which will make the entire registration process easier and quicker. Before registering their food products with the Dubai Municipality, the importers and manufacturers must note that the same product or brand is required to be registered multiple times if it is available in different sizes, packaging, quality & quantity. For example: if a food item is available in 100 ml & 200 ml bottles, it is required to be registered multiple times based on the quantity.
The importers, manufacturers or the representatives of the food company can register for the Food Import and Re-export service (FIRS) program of the Dubai Municipality. The registration can be done through the online portal for FIRS. The representative of the company who applies for the registration needs to look into certain mandatory requirements for the registration. The FIRS registration requires the companies to submit a description of the packaging type images of the label and the food item.
Registration of Barcode
The Dubai Municipality mandates that the barcode of each food product package should be registered. The barcodes on all packages of the same product must be the same. Since the barcode with the Dubai Municipality can be used for different consignments, it is mandatory that each product needs to have a unique barcode.
Laboratory Test
The food products are required to undergo mandatory laboratory tests to check for quality compliance and to detect the presence of any harmful substances. The samples of substances in the product will be sent to the Dubai Central Laboratory. In case, the Central Laboratory cannot conduct the test, the sample will be referred to other accredited labs in the UAE.
Possible Reasons for Rejection
The application for the food product would be approved if the standards set by the Dubai Municipality are met. However, the registration would be rejected on the following grounds:
1. Banned Ingredients
2. Incomprehensible label information
3. Barcode Duplication
4. Failing to declare ingredients
5. Ingredients are written in languages other than Arabic, English
Why Choose Jitendra Intellectual Property for Food Product Registration?
Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP), a leading Intellectual Property service provider in Dubai, UAE, also offers assistance in registering food products with the Dubai Municipality. The local manufacturers and the importers seeking to grab a share of the lucrative Dubai food market can enlist JIP’s high-quality services. JIP is known in the industry for its years of experience and expertise in product registration. The Dubai Municipality has set high standards to ensure that no fake or harmful products are being traded in the UAE market and JIP helps importers, manufacturers and re-exporters comply with these stringent regulations. JIP does this by reviewing the label of the food product for compliance with the regulations, verifying the documentation of products, ensuring the proper conduct of the laboratory test to check the ingredients, etc.
JIP’s trademark agents in the UAE also help businesses registering trademarks or brand names with the trademark office thereby helping the companies set a strong foothold in the UAE by ensuring proper brand protection. JIP offers full-fledged and continuous support to all the businesses who are trading their products in the UAE, thereby playing a role in their growth and business prosperity.