The Financial, Administrative and Cooperative Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Social Affairs has sent a circular to cooperative societies requiring full compliance with regulations from the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition to safeguard consumers and ensure product safety. The document stresses the separation of food items from detergents and chemicals in both display and storage zones while mandating secure dedicated locations for each category. It further calls for adherence to appropriate temperatures for refrigerated and frozen goods along with the isolation of any products suspected of being unfit for consumption. Ministry sources confirmed that the circular explicitly prohibits the display or sale of expired, damaged or otherwise unsuitable food items.
According to the circular, cooperative societies must maintain the integrity of all packaging and ensure that production and expiration dates remain clearly visible on every product offered for sale. The instructions also cover health regulations governing buildings, warehouses and transport vehicles used for food products throughout the supply chain. Societies are required to uphold cleanliness standards in markets, refrigerators and all equipment involved in cutting or packaging while implementing effective controls against insects and rodents. Proper waste disposal procedures form another core element of the mandated practices.
The ministry circular further bans any repackaging of food products in ways that could lead to contamination and prohibits the handling of items with unknown origins. Cooperative societies must secure prior approval from relevant authorities before circulating new products according to the directive. Public Authority for Food and Nutrition inspectors are to be granted full access to examine food items, review records and collect samples as needed. The circular authorises these inspectors to execute decisions on withdrawal, destruction or suspension of non-compliant goods.
Food handlers at cooperatives must possess valid health certificates under the terms outlined in the circular, which also forbids any employee showing symptoms of illness from working with products. The ministry issued the guidance amid heightened oversight of the cooperative sector that has included recent regulatory updates to strengthen governance and consumer protections. Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila, the Minister of Social Affairs, has overseen multiple initiatives to modernise cooperative operations since assuming her role.
The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition seized approximately 180 kilos of spoiled beef, mutton and related animal products in mid-August inspection campaigns across Jahra Governorate, according to authority reports. Those operations led to the closure of five food establishments and the issuance of 40 citations for various violations including the circulation of contaminated items. Earlier in April the authority had dismantled an operation involving nearly 29 tons of rotten seafood falsely marketed as fresh, resulting in the shutdown of a factory and legal proceedings against those responsible. Such incidents underscore the ongoing challenges in maintaining food safety standards across retail and distribution networks.
Cooperatives remain central to Kuwait’s domestic food supply with the ministry stating in February that strategic stocks in most societies were sufficient for six months of coverage. The sector’s central control room monitors inventory levels continuously in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce to prevent shortages. Recent reforms introduced through Ministerial Resolution 196 of 2026 have imposed tighter financial and operational controls on cooperatives to enhance transparency and accountability. These measures build upon earlier steps to Kuwaitize key managerial positions within the societies.
