Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark initiative explained: What it is, how will it transform food labels and health choices in 2026

Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark: New Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labels for Healthier Choices

Abu Dhabi is rolling out a pioneering front-of-pack nutrition labelling system called “Nutri-Mark” designed to help consumers make smarter, healthier food purchasing decisions and prompt food companies to improve the nutritional quality of their products. The initiative is part of a broader effort to address rising obesity rates and chronic disease risks, offering clear, easy-to-understand information at a glance.

What is Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark and how it works

Nutri-Mark is a grading system that uses letters from A to E to rate a food product’s nutritional quality, with A (dark green) indicating the highest nutritional value and E (red) the lowest. The colour-coded, front-of-package label helps shoppers quickly compare similar products within the same category, such as baked goods, dairy, oils, beverages and children’s food.This approach simplifies the complex tables and ingredient lists that often confuse consumers, re-framing nutritional information into a clear, understandable format that supports everyday choices.

Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark timeline: From voluntary to mandatory

The Nutri-Mark system was first introduced late in 2024 and is currently in a voluntary adoption phase, where manufacturers have been encouraged to implement the label early and rethink product formulations. However, mandatory labelling requirements for specific food categories have already taken effect from June 1, 2025, as part of Abu Dhabi’s regulatory framework.From that date, items sold in supermarkets that fall into key categories including baked goods, oils, dairy, beverages and children’s food, must display a Nutri-Mark grade or face removal from shelves and potential fines. Over time, authorities plan to expand the system to cover all food products sold in the emirate, making Nutri-Mark a standard part of packaging across the market.

Nutri-Mark is designed not only for clarity but also to promote healthier eating habits at a population level. Officials said that current obesity statistics, with high percentages of overweight and obese adults and children, highlight the need for better nutritional transparency to support health decisions.Rather than simply indicating “good” or “bad” foods, the grading system lets shoppers compare items within the same category so they can choose products with better nutritional profiles, such as lower salt, fats or sugars. This mode of categorisation closely resembles similar European systems adapted to local context and tailored for public health goals.

Impact of Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark on food manufacturers

The rollout of Nutri-Mark has already prompted several brands to reformulate products ahead of the mandatory phase so they can achieve higher grades, typically by reducing sugar, salt or unhealthy fats and enhancing fibre, protein or micronutrient content. Authorities, led by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), are supporting this shift by offering clear standards, technical guidance and inspection systems to verify label accuracy.In some cases, products that carry inaccurate Nutri-Mark grades can be withdrawn from shelves, underscoring that the initiative is not merely informational but part of a compliance-linked quality regime. To further empower consumers, Abu Dhabi has integrated Nutri-Mark with digital platforms such as the TAMM app, allowing shoppers to scan product barcodes and instantly receive nutritional grades and insights, even when physical labels are still transitioning.This digital scanning functionality complements physical labels, making the system more dynamic and accessible — particularly for tech-savvy shoppers and families making quick shopping decisions.

Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark with a broader health-first strategy

Nutri-Mark forms part of Abu Dhabi’s larger Healthy Living Strategy, which focuses on preventive health measures, reducing the prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases, and increasing overall community well-being through informed choice and accountability. Officials have highlighted that simply offering information is not enough. The goal is to shift food environments so that healthier options become the default choice for consumers while encouraging industry reformulation and competition on quality, not just price or taste.

Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark: Will These New Food Labels Actually Make You Healthier?

Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark initiative represents one of the most progressive food labelling reforms in the region, combining simple, graded nutrition labels with digital tools and public health goals. As it moves from voluntary adoption into mandatory requirements, starting with key product categories, Nutri-Mark aims to reshape both consumer behaviour and industry standards, making healthier eating easier and more transparent for everyone across the emirate. Go to Source