RIYADH — Restaurants and cafes will now have to display calories on the menus of meals provided by them from Jan. 1, 2019, according to an initiative launched by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).

The initiative, which goes into effect on Tuesday, was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Consumer Protection Association, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

This initiative comes as part of efforts to safeguard consumers’ health, and create awareness about the importance of knowing the nutritional value of meals and drinks provided by restaurants and cafes.

Executive Director for Awareness and Information at SFDA Abdulrahman Bin v Al-Sultan said the names of restaurants and cafés that respond to the initiative will be mentioned on a special page on the SFDA website to encourage them. — Al-Arabiya English