Selling pet supplements in the UAE and GCC: a market entry guide
By the IndoFolk Wellness Care Team | Last reviewed October 2026
Quick answer: To sell pet supplements in the UAE, plan for product approval before import, usually through a licensed local importer that applies to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), plus any emirate-level requirements. Prepare a dossier with the formula, label, certificate of analysis, free sale certificate and manufacturing certificate. Use Arabic labelling and support claims only. Treat Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain as separate markets.
The UAE is a natural first Gulf market for brands sourcing from India: short shipping routes, strong pet specialty and online retail, and a trade agreement. The India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has applied since 1 May 2022, and the India–Oman CEPA entered into force on 1 June 2026. Registration is where most launches slow down, so plan it before you plan stock.
Requirements change and can differ between emirates and product types. Confirm current rules with your importer or a local regulatory adviser before you file.
Who regulates pet supplements in the UAE?
Responsibility depends on how the product is classified.
Authority | Role (as currently described) | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
MOCCAE (federal) | Approves animal feed and food products for import and issues import and release permits for each consignment | Pet food, treats and most feed-type supplements |
Emirates Drug Establishment (federal) | Regulator for medical products, including veterinary products, created by Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2023 | Products positioned or formulated as veterinary products, and some feed additives or supplements |
Emirate authorities (e.g. Dubai Municipality) | Local product registration and market control | Check whether the emirate you sell in requires its own registration |
A further law, Federal Decree-Law No. 21 of 2025, covers veterinary medical products and veterinary pharmaceutical establishments. If your product's claims or ingredients push it towards a veterinary product, expect a more demanding route. Keep claims to normal-function support to stay on the feed side wherever the formula allows.
How does MOCCAE product approval work?
According to MOCCAE's service descriptions:
Only licensed establishments can apply, such as companies licensed to import and export animal feed. In practice, your local importer or distributor files the application.
Approved products are added to the ministry's list of products approved for import, and the approval must be renewed periodically.
Each shipment then needs its own import permit and release permit, and products must be approved before they are shipped.
Feed additives and nutritional supplements may follow a separate route that refers to approval by the Emirates Drug Establishment.
Fees, processing times and renewal periods change, so ask your importer for the current figures rather than relying on old quotes.
What goes in the registration dossier?
Document | Notes |
|---|---|
Agency or distribution agreement | Between the manufacturer or brand and the UAE applicant |
GMP or equivalent manufacturing certificate | For the site that makes the product |
Free sale certificate | Shows the product is legally sold in the country of origin or another market |
Certificate of analysis | Lot-specific, with numbers and methods |
Full formula and specification | Ingredients with percentages; analytical constituents |
Label artwork | English and Arabic |
Animal-origin documents | Extra health certificates if the product contains animal protein |
Build the dossier once, in a format you can reuse for other GCC markets. Our export documents checklist covers the Indian side, and pet supplement manufacturer questions helps you collect certificates from the producing site.
What must the label include?
Arabic text, usually alongside English. UAE labelling rules generally require Arabic; whether a sticker is accepted for your product is a question for your importer.
Product name, species and life stage
Ingredients and analytical constituents
Directions for use and daily serving by body weight
Net quantity, batch number, production and expiry dates
Country of origin, manufacturer and importer details
Products with animal-derived ingredients, such as gelatin, may face questions about origin, and halal documentation may be requested. Plan label space early: Arabic and English text together take up more room than most brands expect.
How do you choose a UAE distributor?
Your distributor will often hold the product approval, which gives them significant control over your brand in the market.
Agree in writing who owns the registration and what happens to it if the relationship ends.
Link exclusivity to performance targets and a review date.
Ask about their pet specialty, veterinary and online coverage.
Ask which pet products they have registered recently, and how long it took.
Check whether they cover other GCC countries or only the UAE.
Where is the claims line?
As in other markets, claims to treat, cure or prevent disease move a product towards veterinary medicine rules. Keep to support language, such as "supports healthy joints", and make sure the Arabic translation says exactly what the English says. Translations are a common place for claims to become stronger by accident, so have the Arabic text back-translated before printing. For the wider picture across markets, see pet supplement regulations in the US, UK, EU and UAE.
How do India's trade agreements help?
Goods of Indian origin can qualify for preferential duty under the India–UAE CEPA. Indian exporters apply for a preferential certificate of origin through the DGFT's electronic certificate of origin platform, and the product must meet the agreement's rules of origin. Ask your customs broker whether your product qualifies and verify the tariff for your exact HS code. The India–Oman CEPA, in force since 1 June 2026, offers a similar route into Oman.
What changes across the GCC?
A UAE approval does not carry over automatically. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman each have their own authorities and processes.
Saudi Arabia: the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) states that imported feed products must be registered, and feed importers must be licensed in its national feed registration system. Plant-based feed shipments need a phytosanitary certificate.
Other GCC markets: each has its own registration and labelling process; confirm the current route with a local importer.
Expand one market at a time, starting where your distributor already has registrations and retail coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do pet supplements need registration in the UAE?
Generally, yes. MOCCAE approves animal feed and food products for import, and the application is filed by a licensed local establishment, usually your importer or distributor. Products with veterinary positioning, and some supplements or feed additives, may involve the Emirates Drug Establishment. Some emirates add their own requirements, so confirm the current route locally.
Do pet supplement labels need Arabic in the UAE?
Arabic labelling is generally required, usually alongside English, and the label is reviewed as part of the product approval dossier. Ask your importer whether a printed Arabic label or an approved sticker is acceptable for your product, and have the Arabic text checked so that claims match the English version exactly.
Who should hold the product registration in the UAE?
Registrations are often held by the local importer or distributor, because only licensed establishments can apply. Agree in writing who owns the registration and what happens to it if the partnership ends, so you are not locked in, and keep your own copy of the full dossier.
Does a UAE registration work in Saudi Arabia?
No. Each GCC country has its own regulator and process. In Saudi Arabia, the SFDA requires imported feed products to be registered and feed importers to be licensed in its national feed registration system. Build one reusable dossier, check each market's labelling rules, and file market by market with a local partner.
Work With IndoFolk Wellness
IndoFolk Wellness coordinates sourcing and export of pet supplements and functional chews from vetted Indian partner manufacturers; we do not own factories. Ask us which technical documents, such as specifications, CoAs and manufacturer certificates, we can assemble for your UAE or GCC importer's dossier. Contact us.
Related Reading
Sources
UAE enacts law to regulate veterinary medicines (Federal Decree-Law No. 21 of 2025), Gulf News
Electronic Certificate of Origin platform, Directorate General of Foreign Trade
Frequently asked questions: feed registration and import, Saudi Food and Drug Authority
Import regulations: United Arab Emirates (labelling in Arabic), APEDA Agri Exchange
This article is general information, not legal, regulatory or veterinary advice.
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