Not Pakistan, UAE, this Muslim country bans sale of meat, tobacco, shisha, dates in stores due to…, effective from…
This Muslim nation announces new rules and regulations for small markets. These stores will no longer be allowed to sell meat, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, fruit, vegetables, shisha and history. Here is the reason.
Saudi Arabia announced new rules and regulations for small markets. These stores, known as ‘Baqalas’, will no longer be allowed to sell meat, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, fruits, vegetables, shisha and dates.
Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail announced that the ban will enter into force immediately from 1 July. However, ‘Baqalas’ will be given six months to comply with this new rule. These products will now benefit from larger stores such as supermarkets.
Saudi Arabia has set the size limit to distinguish between small stores among small stores. The prohibition is applied to Baqalas (markets) of at least 24 square meters. Supermarkets (at least 100 square meters) and hypermarkets (at least 500 square meters) can still sell these products.
There are different rules to sell meat. It is forbidden to sell meat in small stores, now it will require a separate license in large stores such as supermarkets. Hypermarkets can sell meat without a separate license.
Why did Saudi Arabia introduce this ban?
Saudi Arabia aims to improve the quality of products consumed by its citizens. According to the authorities, the products in small markets do not have hygiene, quality and less nutritional knowledge. Saudi Arabia has better storage capacity, so that only larger stores have meat, tobacco, history and so on. It gives priority to public health and quality by allowing it to sell.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority, both physical and online food organizations should put detailed nutrition information on their menus, so that consumers are aware of what they eat. Food will come with labels such as ‘high in salt’ and ‘high sugar’, ‘caffeine content’ labels of beverages. Moreover, the menus will also include how much calories should be burned at each meal.
These new rules will affect thousands of small grocery stores and workers, as most of their customers will now go to larger stores. They will now have to expand their stores to be allowed to sell these products. This will also affect customers because they cannot get customers from their local markets anymore.
