Indonesia now requires halal certificates for imported food and drinks from 18 October 2028. What sauce buyers should check on certificates and labels.

Indonesia has pushed mandatory halal certification for imported food and beverages, including sauces and seasonings, from 17 October 2026 to 18 October 2028. Importers gain two years, but the rules stay the same: a certificate from a BPJPH-recognised body, registration by the importer, and a compliant halal label.

1. What did Indonesia change in October 2026?

Indonesia moved the halal deadline for food and beverages made abroad by two years. Under Government Regulation (GR) 42/2024, foreign food and beverage products had to be halal-certified by 17 October 2026, according to the halal agency BPJPH. On 16 October 2026, Susiwijono Moegiarso, Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, announced that the obligation now starts on 18 October 2028, in line with finishing mutual recognition of halal certificates with other countries (Okezone, 17 October 2026).

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) reports that the change was made through GR 40/2026, which amends GR 42/2024, and that the same regulation revoked BPJPH Head Decision 4/2026 on pre-shipment inspection of imported products. Domestic micro and small businesses also received an extension to 17 October 2028.

Bottle of vegan fish sauce on a wooden board next to a pineapple and pineapple slices

A bottle of vegan fish sauce on a wooden board beside a pineapple (AI-generated illustration).

2. Who needs a halal certificate, and from when?

From 18 October 2028, imported food and beverages, including raw materials, food additives and processing aids, must be halal-certified unless they are labelled non-halal. The table pulls together what official and legal sources say as of November 2026.

Item What applies Source
Legal basis Law 33/2014 on Halal Product Assurance and GR 42/2024 BPJPH
Original date for foreign food and beverages No later than 17 October 2026 BPJPH (2024)
New date Mandatory from 18 October 2028 Okezone; DFAT
Amending regulation GR 40/2026 DFAT
Scope Food and beverages, raw materials, food additives, processing aids DFAT
Pre-shipment inspection rule (Decision 4/2026) Revoked DFAT
Registering a foreign certificate Done by the Indonesian importer on the SiHalal portal; IDR 800,000 per certificate (October 2026) DFAT

3. Will a Vietnamese halal certificate be accepted in Indonesia?

Only if the body that issued it is accredited by BPJPH for that product scope, and the certificate is then registered in Indonesia. DFAT explains that exporters can either hold a certificate from a BPJPH-accredited foreign certification body or apply to BPJPH directly. The Indonesian importer, not the exporter, registers the foreign certificate, and BPJPH issues a registration number that is unique to each importer.

3.1 What must appear on the label?

Retail packs need the BPJPH halal logo and the registration number of the foreign halal certificate, according to DFAT. Products with prohibited ingredients may still be sold but must carry a non-halal statement that is easy to see and hard to remove. DFAT also understands that food shipped in bulk, not in retail packaging, needs a certificate but no halal label.

4. What are the risks for sauce exporters and buyers?

  • Recognition gaps: the 2028 date is tied to mutual recognition agreements that are not yet complete, so a certificate valid in one market may not be registrable in Indonesia.
  • Hidden ingredients: sauces often contain flavourings, yeast extracts, emulsifiers or processing aids, and these sit inside the scope of the rule.
  • One number per importer: a brand selling through two distributors may need two registrations of the same certificate.
  • Moving rules: in June 2026 BPJPH was still describing an October 2026 start, so timelines can change at short notice.

5. How should importers use the extra two years?

  1. Ask the supplier which body issued the halal certificate, then check that body and its product scope on BPJPH's list of accredited foreign bodies.
  2. Request a full ingredient and processing-aid list for each SKU, and confirm that each item is covered by the certificate.
  3. Agree in the contract who registers the certificate on SiHalal and who pays the fee, especially if several distributors import the same product.
  4. Plan label artwork early: the BPJPH logo and registration number for halal products, or a clear non-halal statement.
  5. Keep the export file together with the usual export documents that buyers request for Vietnamese sauces, and review it every time the recipe changes.

6. What this means for importers and brands

The delay is a window to fix paperwork and labels, not a reason to wait: products that are ready in 2027 avoid a last-minute rush in 2028. CiCook holds HALAL certification alongside ISO 22000:2018 and HACCP, and supplies a COA with every batch; buyers aiming at Indonesia should still confirm with their importer that the certificate can be registered with BPJPH. For product ideas, see our range of Vietnamese dipping sauces and the notes on preparing export seasonings from the R&D stage.

FAQ

Can non-halal sauces still be sold in Indonesia?

Yes. Products with prohibited ingredients can enter the market, but the pack must carry a clear non-halal statement that cannot easily be removed.

Is the 2028 date final?

It is the current legal date under GR 40/2026, as reported by DFAT. Because it is linked to mutual recognition agreements, check BPJPH announcements before each new shipment plan.

Planning sauces for Indonesia or other halal markets? Contact CiCook, call the hotline +84 813 378 398 or message WhatsApp/Zalo +84 824 084 408.

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