Abu Dhabi to move high-fat, salt and sugar foods out of prime supermarket spots from 2027

Abu Dhabi is set to change the way supermarkets display less healthy food and drink. From January 1, 2027, a mandatory policy will require larger stores — and their online platforms — to move products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) out of their most prominent, high-traffic positions. The rule targets where these items are placed rather than whether they can be sold: shoppers will still find everything they want, just not stacked at the spots most likely to prompt an impulse buy.

What changes

Under the policy, food and beverage products classified as unhealthy will no longer be permitted in the highest-visibility locations that stores use to catch shoppers' attention. In physical shops, that means:

•  Store entrances, end-of-aisle displays and checkout areas will be off-limits for HFSS products.
•  Online, the same items cannot be featured prominently on home pages, in search results, through promotional pop-ups or on checkout pages.
The products themselves stay on sale on the regular shelves and in the aisles — the policy alters their prominence, not their availability.

Who is behind it, and who it applies to

The measure has been introduced by Healthy Living in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the regulatory arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. It was developed together with the Department of Health, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority. Products are judged against the ADPHC's SEHHI nutritional classification, which flags items as unhealthy. For physical retailers, the rules apply to supermarkets larger than 4,000 square feet, alongside online shopping platforms.

The thinking behind it

Officials frame the policy as a nudge grounded in behavioural science and drawn from markets where similar steps have worked. Dr Ahmed AlKhazraiji, Executive Director of Healthy Living, said that when the first products shoppers encounter are not the least nutritious ones, healthier choices become the “natural default,” helping people make better decisions without limiting what they can buy. The approach, he added, was shaped in consultation with retailers to fit the practical realities of the sector.

Part of a wider health drive

The move sits within Abu Dhabi's broader Healthy Living strategy, which also covers responsible food and beverage advertising and healthier meal standards in schools, and follows a ban on junk food in school canteens across the emirate. Retailers are already adapting ahead of the deadline, with Carrefour reported to be among the first chains to complete the required changes.