Registration with the Saudi Food & Drug Authority is not a document you request when something goes wrong; it is the condition for the product circulating in the Kingdom at all. A facility dealing with a compliant supplier receives the file with the shipment, not after chasing it.
What to ask for before the first order
- A valid product registration certificate naming the product and its number.
- The supplier's own SFDA establishment licence.
- Proof of agency or authorisation from the manufacturer.
- Country of origin and the name of the manufacturing site.
Batch traceability at delivery
Every unit carries a batch number and an expiry date. A number the supplier cannot match to a record cannot be traced, and therefore cannot be recalled if a defect appears later. Check that the batch numbers agree across the unit, the invoice and the delivery note before signing for the shipment.
Signs of an unregulated supply
- No tax invoice, or one issued under a different name than the supplier.
- Units with no Arabic leaflet, or with data stuck over the original label.
- Refusal to provide the registration certificate.
- A price far below market with no stated reason.