New Additions, Adjustments, and Compliance Deadlines Announced for some Restricted Substances for cosmetics imports into Saudi Arabia under SFDA
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has issued a circular introducing significant updates to the regulations governing cosmetic products. These amendments aim to enhance consumer safety and ensure compliance with updated international standards.
The circular outlines five major changes to the regulatory framework, focusing on the handling of restricted substances in cosmetic products:
- Addition of New Restricted Substances
- Updated percentages for restricted substances.
- Removal of Specific Restricted Substances
- Deadline for Exporting or Producing Non-Compliant Products:
The original date of December 1, 2026, was specified for this phase. Non-compliant products will no longer be permitted for export or production after this deadline. - Corrective Action Deadline for Saudi Market:
The final corrective action deadline has been updated to December 1, 2028. This extension ensures the Saudi market has adequate time to adjust and comply with the new regulatory requirements.
Some Examples of the affected annexes:
In Annex 1 of the circular, new restricted substances
In Annex 2 of the circular, updated the restricted substances percentages
In Annex 3 of the circular, remove all the restricted substances
The SFDA emphasized the importance of these updates to align local cosmetic product regulations with global safety practices. Businesses are urged to adhere to the deadlines and implement corrective measures to avoid potential non-compliance penalties.
Manufacturers, importers, and distributors are encouraged to consult the full circular and annexes for detailed information, which are available on the SFDA’s official website.
For further assistance or inquiries on the circular or any details on exporting cosmetics to Saudi Arabia, Contact Cotecna team.
For more details on this circular or exporting cosmetics to Saudi Arabia under SFDA program, please contact us or reach out on WhatsApp.
You can also download our SFDA Cosmetics exporter guide for more information on SFDA Cosmetics.
About Cotecna
For over 50 years, we have been supporting agriculture, food and pharma, minerals and metals, and consumer products supply chains all over the world. We provide testing, inspection, and certification services to help our clients navigate evolving regulations, ensure product compliance, and support their sustainability journey.