Packaging Design for Kerala Brands Going to the Gulf

Kerala makes a lot of what Gulf shoppers put in their baskets: spices, tea, coconut oil, banana chips, pickles, ready mixes, Ayurvedic personal care. Many of these FMCG and food brands first reach the Gulf in a suitcase, then through a trader, and eventually try for a proper listing. That is usually when the pack becomes the problem. A label designed for Indian rules and an Indian shelf can be rejected at the border, stuck over with an awkward Arabic sticker, or simply lost in a hypermarket aisle.

This guide covers what the Gulf's labelling rules ask of your pack, when a sticker is acceptable and when it isn't, and how to design a bilingual pack that still looks premium. It is written for brands planning their first GCC listing, and it reflects how we approach packaging design for Kerala and Gulf shelves. It summarises public rules; it is not legal advice, and your importer's label assessment has the final word.

What labelling rules apply to food packs in the GCC?#

Prepackaged food in the Gulf is governed by a shared technical regulation, GSO 9, "Labeling of prepackaged food stuffs". The current edition was approved in October 2022 (opens in a new tab). Each country enforces it through its own authorities: the UAE applies its adopted version through label assessment and product registration with food authorities such as Dubai Municipality, and Saudi Arabia enforces it through the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).

Many importer checklists are still built from the 2013 edition's text. The requirements below are drawn from it and remain the core of any Gulf label, but check each point against the current edition and your importer's list.

Label element	What the rule asks for	Common mistake on Indian packs
Language	All mandatory information in Arabic; another language may appear alongside, and it must be identical	English only, or an Arabic version that says less than the English
Name of the food	A name that shows the true nature of the product	A brand name or fanciful name with no product description
Ingredients	Listed in descending order of weight, with additives named or coded	Additives missing or listed vaguely
Allergens	Declared clearly, including cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, milk, sesame, mustard, celery, lupin, molluscs and sulphites at 10 ppm or more	Allergens not called out at all
Net contents	In metric units: volume for liquids, weight for solids, drained weight for foods packed in liquid	Net quantity missing from the front panel
Name and net contents placement	Both in a prominent position, in the same field of vision	Name on the front, quantity on the back
Manufacturer	Name and address of the manufacturer, or of the packer	Only a customer-care number
Country of origin	Clearly declared	"Made in India" missing or hidden
Dates	Production and expiry dates, printed or stamped by the producer	Only "best before 12 months from packing"
Storage and use	Storage conditions where shelf life depends on them; instructions if needed	Omitted
Lot identification	A code identifying the factory and the batch	Batch number stamped illegibly
Animal source	The source of any animal-derived ingredient	Gelatine or fats with no source stated

What date format does a Gulf label need?#

The rules tie the format to shelf life. According to the US government's UAE labelling guide (opens in a new tab), products with a shelf life of three months or less must show day, month and year; longer-life products may use day/month/year or month/year, and with month/year the last day of that month counts as the expiry date. The production date is mandatory as well. Dates must be printed, embossed or stamped in permanent ink by the producer, and stickers carrying dates are not allowed.

Which claims and symbols cause problems?#

Kerala food brands often borrow the look of wellness brands. On a Gulf food label, that can backfire:

Medicinal or therapeutic claims are not permitted on food labels. "Boosts immunity" or "cures cough" belongs on a registered health product, not a pack of herbal tea.
Quality and organic logos need proof. The 2013 text requires evidence behind any quality or organic logo, and bars phrases and symbols relating to quality management systems. So an "ISO 9001 certified" badge is worth taking off a Gulf food label.
Halal claims need a certificate. The UAE guide notes that products labelled halal need a certificate from a certifier recognised by UAE authorities, and animal-derived ingredients must come from halal slaughter.
Pictures must not mislead. A pack showing whole cardamom pods should not contain cardamom flavouring.

Can you just put an Arabic sticker on your Indian pack?#

Sometimes, but it is a stopgap with strict conditions, not a strategy.

Under the 2013 text of GSO 9, an Arabic sticker is allowed next to the original label only if it is a single sticker supplied by the manufacturer, covers every mandatory requirement, doesn't hide any required information, doesn't contradict the original label and can't be peeled off in normal handling. Production and expiry dates can never be added by sticker. For the UAE, the US government's guide (opens in a new tab) adds that stickers must be approved as part of the label assessment and applied before export, not on arrival.

Approach	How it works	Good for	Watch out for
Arabic over-sticker	Manufacturer-applied Arabic label on an existing Indian pack	Test shipments and small first orders	Sticker rules above; looks like an afterthought on shelf
Bilingual pack for all markets	One pack with Arabic and English, sold in India and the Gulf	Brands with modest volumes in each market	Must satisfy Indian rules and Gulf rules at once, so panels get crowded
Separate GCC pack	A dedicated SKU designed for the Gulf	Brands serious about Gulf retail	More print runs and inventory to manage

A note on the Indian side: FSSAI and Legal Metrology labelling rules are written for packs sold in India. A pack made only for export is built to the importing country's rules, but it should not be diverted onto Indian shelves without being relabelled, and a pack sold in both markets has to satisfy both. Check the details with your regulatory consultant before you choose.

What about cosmetics, Ayurveda and non-food products?#

Non-food products follow different rules, so don't reuse a food checklist.

Cosmetics and personal care fall under GSO 1943, the Gulf technical regulation covering safety, labelling and packaging of cosmetic products; the current edition dates from 2024 (opens in a new tab). Registration runs through a separate route; in Dubai, that is the municipality's Montaji system.
Ayurvedic formulations and herbal supplements that make health claims may be treated as health products or medicines, with their own approval process. One option is to sell a claim-free food or cosmetic version in retail and register the health product separately.
General consumer goods such as housewares and textiles have country-of-origin and safety-marking rules. For Saudi Arabia, the US government's Saudi labelling guide (opens in a new tab) notes that country of origin must be marked permanently and that warnings and safety instructions must be in Arabic, or Arabic and English.

How do you design a bilingual pack that still looks premium?#

Compliance is the minimum. The harder part is making a pack that carries two scripts and a long list of mandatory text without looking cluttered.

Design in both scripts from day one. Arabic reads right to left and sets differently from English. A layout designed in English with Arabic squeezed in later always shows the join.
Pair the typefaces deliberately. Choose an Arabic typeface designed to match the weight and personality of your English type, rather than whatever default font the software offers.
Give your brand name an Arabic form. Decide how the name is written in Arabic, check how it sounds and what it might mean, and design it as a logotype. Our guide on when a brand needs a refresh or a rebrand covers what to do if the name doesn't travel.
Use a native writer, not a translation tool. Product names, descriptions and claims should be written by a native Arabic writer, then checked against the English, since the rules require the two to match.
Check the Arabic on a printed proof. Arabic letters join to one another, and some design and print workflows break that shaping, producing disconnected letters. Have a native reader check a physical proof before the full run.
Build a front-of-pack hierarchy. Brand, product name in both languages, variant and one reason to buy. Everything else moves to the back or side panels.
Plan for heat and distance. Packs spend weeks in containers and warehouses before a Gulf summer shelf. Choose barrier films, closures and inks that survive heat and humidity, and test a sample shipment.

How do you stand out in Lulu and Carrefour aisles?#

Gulf hypermarkets are big, bright and crowded. Lulu, founded by Kerala-born entrepreneur M.A. Yusuff Ali, stocks a wide range of Indian brands, and Carrefour's Gulf stores are run by the Majid Al Futtaim group. Both offer a real opportunity, and a lot of competition.

Shelf reality	What it means for your pack
Many Indian products sit in a dedicated Indian or world-foods section	You compete with established Indian brands, so your difference has to read at a glance
Mainstream category aisles serve Arab and other expat shoppers	Arabic-first cues and clear product photography matter more than Malayalam heritage
Shoppers scan shelves from a few metres away	A strong brand block and colour-coded variants beat detailed illustrations
Families buy in bulk	Larger family packs and multipacks often suit Gulf baskets better than small Indian sizes
Ramadan, Eid, Diwali and Onam drive gifting	Seasonal gift packs and limited editions earn extra shelf space and display
Retailers need barcodes that scan	Most retailers expect GS1 barcodes, which GS1 India issues to Indian manufacturers

The simplest shelf test is still the best. Print mock-ups, place them on a real or recreated shelf next to the competitors you'll face, step back three metres and see what you notice first. If it isn't your brand, redesign the front panel before you print anything.

What does Gulf-ready packaging cost?#

These are typical design ranges in 2026 for Kerala brands, excluding printing, registration fees and GST. Confirm with quotes.

Scope	Typical range	Notes
Arabic label adaptation of an existing pack	₹8,000–₹25,000 per SKU	Layout, Arabic typesetting, compliance copy deck; assumes the pack already works
New bilingual pack, first SKU	₹40,000–₹1.5 lakh	Concept, structure, bilingual artwork, print-ready files
Additional variants in the same range	₹8,000–₹20,000 each	Flavour or size variants on an agreed system
Full range system, 5–10 SKUs	₹1.5 lakh–₹5 lakh	Architecture, colour coding, rules for future SKUs
Native Arabic copywriting and proofreading	Quoted per project	Don't skip the check on the printed proof

For the wider brand budget, including trade mark registration and identity work, see our guide to launching Indian brands in the UAE, which puts packaging inside a 90-day launch plan.

What is the step-by-step process?#

Pick your first market and importer. UAE and Saudi requirements overlap but aren't identical, and registration is usually handled by the importer or distributor.
Get the importer's label checklist before design starts. It saves a round of rejected artwork.
Write a copy deck. Every mandatory statement in English, then in Arabic by a native writer, checked line by line.
Design the bilingual system. Front-of-pack hierarchy first, then the mandatory panels.
Pre-check the artwork. Your importer or a regulatory consultant reviews it before anything is printed.
Proof physically. Check Arabic shaping, colour, legibility of small text and date-coding space.
Shelf-test and ship a sample. Confirm the pack looks right on shelf and survives the journey.

Frequently asked questions#

Is Arabic mandatory on food labels in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?#

Yes. Mandatory label information must be in Arabic. English can appear alongside, and many brands use both, but the English cannot replace the Arabic, and the information in both languages must match.

Can we print one pack for India and the Gulf?#

You can, if the pack satisfies both the Indian rules and the Gulf rules at once. That works for simple products, but panels get crowded, so brands with serious Gulf volumes often run a separate GCC SKU.

Can our distributor in Dubai add an Arabic sticker?#

For the UAE, the US government's labelling guide says stickers must be approved during label assessment and applied before export, not on arrival. The 2013 text of GSO 9 also requires the sticker to come from the manufacturer. Plan for the sticker to be applied at your factory.

Do we need halal certification for vegetarian products like spices?#

You need a halal certificate if the pack makes a halal claim, and anything containing animal-derived ingredients must meet halal rules. Many plant-based products sell without a halal mark, but some retailers and buyers prefer one. Ask your importer what the retailers you're targeting expect.

How long does a Gulf packaging project take?#

As a planning guide, adapting an existing pack takes two to four weeks, and a new bilingual range takes six to ten weeks before print. Registration and label assessment add time on top, depending on the authority and the product.

Get the pack right before the first container#

Relabelling stock in a warehouse costs far more than getting the artwork right on paper. Start with your importer's checklist and a copy deck, then design. If you'd like help taking a Kerala pack to Gulf shelves, share your products and target market with us. You can also see how we handle bilingual Arabic and English packaging and the brand systems behind it.