GS1 UAE and the UAE Food Cluster unveiled the National Food Catalogue (NFC) at the Future Food Forum on 2 October 2026. The platform is intended to provide a shared digital foundation for product information, trade and market connectivity across the UAE food sector. The Food Cluster initiative was announced under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and described as its first major regulated initiative. It brings food-product records into a single environment for use by government entities, retailers and businesses, establishing a common way to identify items and exchange verified information.

The catalogue uses GS1 Standards and Trusted Data Services. Its principle is that a product should be registered once and its information accepted across participating services, reducing the need to submit separate records to different partners. A common product identity can help standardise descriptions and limit inconsistencies. The platform is designed for large companies, medium-sized businesses and SMEs, allowing smaller suppliers to use the same product-information framework as major manufacturers and retailers. The announcement does not state how many firms or products were registered at launch, or whether all regulators and retailers are connected.

The applications named include product registration, customs, retail, traceability and promotion of UAE-made products. A shared source of product details can help commercial partners compare and process records, while product-level information can connect stages from origin to shelf. The announcement also says the system is intended to support checks on product ownership, improve the visibility of parallel imports and strengthen controls on inaccurate or misleading claims. These functions concern how information is presented and checked; the catalogue is not described as a food-inspection service or a replacement for safety testing and enforcement.

The catalogue is linked to the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme. Its intended administrative benefit is to reduce duplicate registrations and repetitive procedures by allowing public agencies and businesses to use a shared data source. GS1 UAE chief executive Rami Habbal said the platform can provide a common basis for product data across government and industry. Saleh Lootah, chairman of the UAE Food and Beverages Manufacturers Group, said connected information helps businesses respond to disruption and act with greater agility. These remarks explain the partners’ rationale; no measured savings in processing time or effects on trade volumes were reported.

The catalogue’s practical value to manufacturers and distributors will depend on data quality, adoption and interoperability. The launch notice says the shared platform can expand to additional services and uses. It describes the start of a national effort to streamline information exchange and improve market connectivity.