Qatar will introduce a new electronic process for approving sweetened drink analysis certificates from November 1, 2026. The General Tax Authority (GTA) will connect its Dhareeba tax platform directly with accredited laboratories, allowing test results and certificates to be transferred electronically. The change mainly affects businesses registering sweetened drinks in Qatar and supports the country’s new sugar-content-based excise tax system.
- Location: Qatar
- Organisation: General Tax Authority (GTA)
- Effective: November 1, 2026
- Who is affected: Businesses registering sweetened drinks
- Business impact: Less manual paperwork during product registration
- What’s next: Accredited laboratories will send approved test results directly to Dhareeba
Qatar will change how businesses register sweetened drinks from November 1, 2026, with analysis certificates moving to an electronic approval process through the Dhareeba platform.
The General Tax Authority said the system will connect Dhareeba with laboratories accredited by Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and registered with the GTA. The move is designed to simplify product registration, improve the accuracy of submitted information and support compliance with Qatar’s updated sweetened drink excise tax framework.
For companies importing, manufacturing or registering these products, the main change will be the removal of manual certificate uploads.
How will Qatar’s new sweetened drink registration system work?
Under the new procedure, businesses will first submit their sweetened drink product registration through Dhareeba.
They must then provide product samples to an accredited laboratory for testing.
The laboratory will analyse the sample, including the types and quantities of sugars and sweeteners present. Once the test is approved, the laboratory will electronically transfer the results and analysis certificate to Dhareeba.
Businesses will therefore no longer need to manually attach the analysis certificate to their application.
The GTA said the direct connection between laboratories and Dhareeba is intended to reduce manual processing and make the registration process more efficient.
Why is Qatar changing the sweetened drink rules?
The electronic process comes as Qatar introduces a new approach to taxing sweetened drinks.
The country’s General Tax Authority implemented a tiered volumetric excise tax mechanism on July 6, 2026. Under this system, the amount of tax depends on the sugar or added sweetener content of a drink.
Products with less than 5 grams of sugar or added sweeteners per 100ml are exempt from the tax. Products containing between 5g and 7.99g per 100ml are subject to a rate of QAR 0.77 per litre, while products containing 8g or more per 100ml are subject to QAR 1.06 per litre.
The system also provides exemptions for drinks containing only artificial sweeteners without added sugar.
That makes accurate laboratory testing particularly important. The test results help determine how a product should be classified under the excise tax system.
What drinks are covered by Qatar’s tax framework?
Qatar’s updated rules apply to a wider range of products than traditional fizzy drinks.
According to the GTA, the framework covers sweetened beverages as well as products that can be converted into drinks. This includes certain juices containing added sugar, concentrates, powders and extracts.
The classification depends on the product’s composition and sugar or sweetener content.
For businesses, this means product analysis is not simply an administrative formality. The information submitted can affect the way a product is treated under Qatar’s excise tax rules.
The new electronic connection should give the tax authority access to laboratory-verified information without requiring companies to upload certificates themselves.
What does the change mean for businesses?
The biggest difference will be in the paperwork.
At present, businesses registering products need to manage the analysis certificate as part of their Dhareeba application. From November 1, the accredited laboratory will send the approved certificate directly to the platform.
This could reduce the risk of missing documents, incorrect attachments or delays caused by manual submissions.
It also creates a more direct data flow between laboratories and the tax authority. The GTA said the change will strengthen digital integration and improve the accuracy of information used during product registration.
Companies dealing with sweetened drinks will still need to follow the required testing process. The electronic system does not remove the need for laboratory analysis.
Instead, it changes how the approved results reach the tax platform.
Qatar’s changes could also be relevant to UAE-based food and beverage companies that export products to the country.
Businesses operating across the GCC often need to manage different registration, tax and compliance requirements in each market. Qatar’s move towards electronic laboratory integration is another example of authorities using digital systems to make regulatory processes more connected.
For UAE residents, the development is mainly relevant through the region’s wider food and beverage trade. Qatar and the UAE have established commercial links, and companies supplying packaged drinks across GCC markets may need to keep track of changing product requirements.
Consumers are unlikely to notice a direct change when the electronic certificate system begins. The immediate impact is on businesses and laboratories handling product registration and tax compliance.
Qatar’s wider move towards digital tax services
The Dhareeba integration is part of Qatar’s broader effort to digitise tax administration.
Dhareeba serves as the country’s electronic tax platform, bringing several tax-related services into one digital system. Connecting it with accredited laboratories means information needed for sweetened drink classification can move directly between the testing and tax-registration processes.
The change also comes as Qatar implements a GCC-aligned approach to sweetened drink taxation. The GCC adopted a tiered volumetric model in 2025, with taxation linked to sugar or sweetener levels.
For Qatar, the July 2026 tax changes and November’s electronic testing system form two parts of the same wider compliance framework.
FAQs
When will Qatar’s new sweetened drink testing system start?
The electronic approval process for sweetened drink analysis certificates will begin on November 1, 2026.
Who will be affected by the new Qatar sweetened drink rules?
The change primarily affects businesses registering sweetened drinks in Qatar, along with the accredited laboratories responsible for testing those products.
Will businesses still need to test sweetened drinks?
Yes. Businesses must still submit product samples to laboratories accredited by the Ministry of Public Health and registered with the GTA.
Do companies still need to upload analysis certificates?
No. From November 1, approved laboratory results and analysis certificates will be transferred electronically to Dhareeba, removing the need for businesses to manually attach them.
Does the November change introduce a new sweetened drink tax?
No. The electronic certificate system is a registration and compliance change. Qatar’s new tiered excise tax mechanism for sweetened drinks began on July 6, 2026.
Qatar’s November 1 change will make sweetened drink registration more digital by connecting accredited laboratories directly with the Dhareeba tax platform. Businesses will still need to have products tested, but they will no longer have to manually upload approved analysis certificates.
The move also strengthens the infrastructure supporting Qatar’s new sugar-content-based excise tax system, while giving businesses a simpler route for submitting verified product information.
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