Table of Contents
Topic Summary
1. Mandatory Registration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP)
Since 2023, all nutritional supplements intended for the UAE market must undergo formal registration with MOHAP. This regulatory step ensures product safety, efficacy, and compliance with national health standards before any marketing or sale occurs.
2. Montaji System Registration for Products Sold in Dubai
Beyond MOHAP approval, products distributed within Dubai must also be registered via the Montaji system. This platform serves as an additional control measure to monitor product integrity and market compliance within the emirate.
3. Necessity of a Local UAE Entity for Importation and Invoicing
Effective market entry requires establishing a local UAE entity capable of importing herbal and wellness products and issuing invoices according to regulatory requirements. Without this presence, companies face significant barriers to growth as cross-border shipments alone cannot sustain scalable operations.
4. Scale Dependent on Structural Compliance
Merely possessing a large product portfolio or strong international presence is insufficient. Structural alignment with local regulatory frameworks determines the capability to expand and scale successfully within the UAE marketplace.
5. Understanding Market Specificity Beyond Size
The UAE herbal and wellness market is substantial but also highly specific in its regulatory demands and consumer expectations. Businesses must tailor their approach to meet these unique conditions rather than relying solely on market size to drive growth.
A UK herbal brand begins selling online. Orders start appearing from the Gulf. A Dubai pharmacy group requests pricing. A wellness retailer asks a familiar question: can you supply locally? Is the product registered? Do you hold a UAE trade license?
In the United Kingdom, herbal and wellness brands operate inside a regulated but saturated environment. Health food stores, pharmacy chains, and digital platforms compete aggressively. Claims are tightly controlled. Margins narrow under discount cycles and price comparison.
Dubai operates differently.
The UAE nutraceuticals and herbal products market is valued at approximately USD 1.5 billion. The broader nutraceutical sector reached USD 2.19 billion in 2024 and is projected to approach USD 3.87 billion by 2030, expanding at close to 10% annually. Around 70% of the UAE population actively seeks healthier lifestyle choices. Supplements, botanical formulations, and preventative health products are no longer niche purchases. They are embedded in routine consumption.
Demand is visible across pharmacies, specialty wellness stores, supermarket chains, and increasingly through fast-growing e-commerce channels.
Herbal and wellness products sit within regulated categories. Since 2023, nutritional supplements must be registered with the Ministry of Health and Prevention before marketing , and products sold in Dubai must also be registered through the Montaji system. Without local registration and a UAE entity capable of importing and invoicing, growth stalls at cross-border shipments.
This is where structure determines scale.
The Market Is Large — But It Is Also Specific
Scale alone does not make a market attractive. What matters is how growth is distributed.
The UAE dietary supplements market was valued at USD 570.6 million in 2024, with expected growth of 11.5% CAGR through 2030. Herbal supplements alone were valued at USD 547.1 million in 2024, projected to approach USD 898 million by 2033.
Growth is not evenly spread across categories. Health maintenance leads application demand. Vitamins and protein supplements remain the most popular categories, with proteins and amino acids projected to grow at nearly 15% CAGR between 2025 and 2030.
This signals two important realities for UK herbal brands:
- The market supports preventative daily-use products, not just occasional remedies.
- Growth segments reward brands positioned around efficacy and compliance, not novelty.
How UAE Consumers Actually Purchase Herbal Products
Consumer motivation in the UAE is practical and preventative.
More than 70% of consumers trust recommendations from health professionals when purchasing natural wellness products. This changes retail dynamics.
In the UK, digital-first wellness brands can build significant traction without pharmacy presence. In Dubai, professional endorsement and regulated shelf placement reinforce trust. Pharmacies are not just distribution points, they function as credibility filters. That does not make e-commerce secondary. It makes retail foundational.
Retail Structure: Where UK Herbal Products Actually Move
Offline retail remains dominant in the UAE supplements category. Pharmacies, supermarkets, and health food stores function as primary distribution channels.
E-commerce is the fastest-growing channel from 2025–2030 , particularly for repeat supplement purchasing. However, physical retail presence continues to anchor credibility. In wellness categories, trust is built visually — through pharmacy placement, shelf visibility, and regulated packaging.
The brands that scale integrate both. Retail builds authority. E-commerce captures repeat consumption.
But both channels require compliance.
Regulatory Reality: You Cannot Bypass Registration
In 2023, UAE government regulations reinforced that all nutritional supplements must be registered with the Ministry of Health and Prevention before marketing. Herbal and nutraceutical products require mandatory registration and compliance with national health standards.
In Dubai, products must also be registered through the Montaji system before sale.
This has a commercial implication: only a UAE-licensed entity can file and hold product registration.
If a distributor registers the product, the distributor holds the certificate. If the relationship ends, the brand re-enters the process.
For herbal categories — where formulation integrity and health positioning are core. Registration ownership is not administrative, it is strategic.
Where Meydan Free Zone Sits in This Structure
Once registration and local invoicing become necessary, the question becomes practical: how do you establish a UAE trading entity without building unnecessary fixed overhead?
For product-led businesses, clarity matters more than office space.
Meydan Free Zone supports 100% foreign ownership and allows UK founders to establish a UAE company remotely. Through the Fawri model, a business license can be issued in under 60 minutes once documentation is complete. Relevant activities covering trading of herbal supplements, nutraceuticals, and wellness products can be structured under a single license, allowing product expansion without repeated restructuring.
Banking readiness is central in supplement distribution. Retailers and pharmacies operate on local payment cycles. Meydan Free Zone provides structured banking pathways, including a guaranteed IBAN route through partner institutions, enabling local AED invoicing.
The Setup Cost Calculator functions as a modelling instrument. It clarifies licensing and operational commitments before stock is imported or registration filings begin.
Meydan Free Zone provides the structure required to access that demand directly and retain control over registration, pricing, and distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there strong demand for UK herbal products in Dubai?
Yes. The UAE nutraceuticals and herbal products market is valued at approximately USD 1.5 billion and continues to grow steadily. The wider nutraceutical sector reached USD 2.19 billion in 2024 and is projected to approach USD 3.87 billion by 2030. Consumer demand is driven by preventative health, immunity support, and daily supplementation.
2. Can a UK company sell herbal supplements in Dubai without a UAE entity?
No. Nutritional supplements must be registered with the Ministry of Health and Prevention before marketing. In Dubai, products must also be registered through the Montaji system prior to sale. Only a UAE-licensed company can file and hold these registrations.
3. What are the fastest-growing wellness categories in the UAE?
Dietary supplements are among the fastest-growing segments, valued at USD 570.6 million in 2024 with projected 11.5% CAGR growth to 2030. Proteins and amino acids are expected to grow at nearly 15% CAGR between 2025 and 2030.
4. Where are herbal and wellness products primarily sold in Dubai?
Pharmacies, supermarkets, and health food stores remain primary distribution channels. E-commerce is the fastest-growing channel but functions most effectively alongside physical retail presence.
5. Why is product registration ownership important?
The UAE entity that files the product registration holds the certificate. If a distributor registers the product, the distributor controls that approval. Establishing your own UAE trading entity allows you to retain control over registration, retail negotiation, and long-term market positioning.
6. How long does it take to register herbal products in Dubai?
Timelines vary depending on classification and documentation completeness. Registration must be approved before products can be legally marketed or sold. Proper documentation, compliant labelling, and ingredient disclosure are required under UAE regulations.
7. Are UAE consumers receptive to natural and botanical wellness products?
Yes. Around 70% of the UAE population actively seeks healthier lifestyle choices. Immunity support, relaxation, and beauty-related benefits are leading purchase motivations.
8. Why do UK herbal brands establish a company in Dubai?
Establishing a UAE trading entity allows brands to hold product registrations directly, invoice retailers locally, manage compliance internally, and build long-term relationships with pharmacies and wellness retailers rather than relying solely on cross-border shipping or third-party distributors.
