{
  "id": 11085706,
  "title": "Abu Dhabi hotels and restaurants to increase healthy options under new mandate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/abu-dhabi-hotels-and-restaurants-to-increase-healthy-options-under-11085706",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-01T02:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/01/abu-dhabi-hotels-and-restaurants-to-increase-healthy-options-under-new-mandate/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Beginning Thursday, restaurants within hotels and tourist areas in Abu Dhabi must include a minimum number of healthy menu options, as mandated by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. The law, which took effect on July 1, stipulates that each menu category must contain at least one healthy item, defined by the approved SEHHI criteria. SEHHI foods are characterized by low fat, sugar, and salt content, and higher nutritional value. For children's menus, at least half of the items must be healthy. The implementation period provided a three-month grace period for establishments to adjust their menus. A circular released by the DCT in June stated that healthy menu items must be clearly identified using the approved SEHHI logo.\n\nThis mandate aligns with a broader shift towards healthier choices in daily life. Supermarkets will need to remove junk food from high-volume and high-visibility areas starting next January, and there was a restriction on advertising junk food and unhealthy beverages in public spaces last year. The Abu Dhabi emirate launched the Healthy Living Abu Dhabi program last year, aiming to prevent diseases and improve residents' health through various initiatives, such as food labeling and community exercise programs.\n\nAccor, an operator running several hotels in Abu Dhabi, including Rixos, Fairmont, Sofitel, and Novotel, has initiated its Plant Forward project. This project prioritizes vegetables, grains, legumes, and whole foods in menus while allowing meat, fish, or dairy in moderation. Accor's senior vice president of brand loyalty, Victoria Sertic, emphasized that choice remains a crucial aspect of any hotel stay. Guests still desire enjoyment, discovery, and great food when dining at a restaurant. Accor aims to provide chefs with a larger creative canvas for their dishes, offering delicious options that promote healthy eating without compromising on taste. The group aims for at least 25% plant-based menu options across participating hotels, with a target of 35% by 2030, aiming to reduce carbon, water, and land footprints while adding healthier menu choices for guests. Sertic highlighted that transparency and credibility are increasingly important for customers, and this initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi's broader goals for healthier living.",
  "summary": "Restaurants in hotels and tourist areas in Abu Dhabi must offer a minimum number of healthy options on their menus under a mandate that comes into force on Thursday. The new law, enforced by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, requires each menu category to contain at least one healthy item as defined by ADPHC's approved SEHHI…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Abu Dhabi hotels and restaurants to increase healthy options under new mandate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/abu-dhabi-hotels-and-restaurants-to-increase-healthy-options-under",
        "published": "2026-10-01T02:00:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}