Abu Dhabi has made a very strong stance: nowadays, fast-food advertising (ads) is prohibited throughout the emirate. This relocation is part of a larger health programme that would help in lessening obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases that burden families and the health system.
Abu Dhabi Bans Fast Food Ads As Part Of New Health Reforms
What The Ban Actually Covers?
Gulf News reports that the restrictive changes lie within the Healthy Living programme that is operated by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. When the nutrition of a product surpasses the hard-line limits, it is not possible to advertise it outside in Abu Dhabi anymore.
These parameters are simple: items containing more than 800calories, more than 4g of fat per 100g, more than 2g of saturated fat per 100g, more than 500mg of sodium per 100g, or more than 7g of sugar per 100g are not to be advertised as outside.
Even advertisements with the participation of a brand name, without a photo of the product, are prohibited.
Outdoor promotions through billboards, displays on the street, are now required to be in line with health standards.
Nutri-Mark And The Sehhi System
The prohibition is directly connected with novel food-reform regulations under the Healthy Living AbuDhabi. A front-of-the-box label, Nutri-Mark, has a rating scale of A-E, with A being the most nutritious and E the least. It provides buyers with a visual guide in a short time.
Rules of advertising are also based on SEHHI classification. Products in the category A and B can only be featured in advertisements, and at least 30 1/2 of this advertisement should consist of the healthier one.
The goods in the categories C, D, and E will only be presented in case their contracts have already passed by the Department of Municipalities and Transport. The advertisers will have a grace period until the expiry of their contracts.
Also Read: What Is Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark Initiative & How Will It Change Food Labels In 2026?
Schools And Supermarkets Are Also Changing
Supermarkets now have to shift unhealthy products off the busy areas’ entrance, aisles, and checkout lanes, the areas that contribute to impulse purchases. Getting junk food out of these places pushes purchasing behaviour without prohibitions.
Schools are also under consideration. At the beginning of the month, the government began to check the lunches of students to make sure that they contain healthier food. There is already a ban on school lunch on deep-fried, high-sugar, ultra-processed meats.
It is a matter of making the environment easier to change and making the healthier options the easier ones.
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