Health Ministry Clarifies Food Advertising Regulations Amid Public Concerns

The Ministry of Health has provided further clarification on what constitutes advertising under the Food Advertising Regulations, which came into effect on 20 February. 

The clarification follows concerns raised by small businesses and entrepreneurs in the food and beverage sector.

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ނޫސްބަޔާން- ކާބޯތަކެތި އިޝްތިހާރުކުރުމާއި ގުޅޭ pic.twitter.com/7o0bmh4bUp— Ministry of Health (@MoHmv) March 1, 2025

Under the regulations, all food advertisements require prior approval through the “Dhirithi” portal, with non-compliance resulting in a fine of MVR 10,000. However, the ministry has stated that general posts about food availability, such as restaurant menus or social media announcements indicating that a food item is available, do not require prior approval. Approval is only necessary if a post actively promotes a product using phrases such as “second to none” or through comparisons with other products.

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) introduced the regulations to establish guidelines for food advertising. The rules require that advertisements be submitted for approval before publication, with advertisement permits valid for three years. Any modifications to an approved advertisement must be submitted as a new application.

Applications must be made through an online portal, with advertisers required to provide scripts, audio, video, and images when seeking approval. The fees for advertisement approvals, which are non-refundable, are set at MVR 1,000 for a photo advertisement, MVR 1,500 for video or audio advertisements, and MVR 3,000 for energy drink advertisements. If an advertisement is rejected, a revised version must be resubmitted with a new fee payment.

The regulations also apply to online food retailers, affecting small and medium-sized businesses that promote products via social media. Some businesses have raised concerns that the associated costs present financial challenges. Critics argue that the regulations could negatively impact home-based businesses, particularly those run by women, rather than supporting them.

Failure to comply with the regulations results in penalties, with fines escalating from MVR 10,000 for the first violation to MVR 500,000 for repeated offences.