Capital Council Targets Unregulated Food Truck Practices

The Capital Municipal Council discussed, during its tenth session, the latest developments related to the regulation of food truck gatherings across Bahrain, amid increasing concerns over unregulated practices and their impact on public order, safety and fair competition.

During the session, the Director General of the Capital Municipality, engineer Mohammed Al Sahli, delivered a detailed briefing on recent changes observed in the food truck sector, particularly following the Covid 19 pandemic. He noted that a number of food truck operators had adopted undesirable commercial practices, including relocating trucks without authorisation and operating outside approved locations.

Concerns

Al Sahli explained that some operators attempted to monopolise busy areas or expand their operations even though licensed businesses were already present nearby to dominate high traffic areas or expand their operating spaces despite the presence of licensed commercial establishments nearby. He said such practices resembled informal street vending and resulted in unfair competition, undermining regulated businesses and disrupting the urban environment.

He also drew attention to organisational and safety issues, including the installation of unauthorised power generators, air conditioning units and lighting systems, which pose potential health and safety risks. He confirmed that the municipality has received multiple complaints from shop owners regarding these practices. While health oversight does not fall directly within the municipality’s remit, coordination has taken place to address the reported violations.

Regulation

The Director General referred to experiences in other Gulf countries, where food trucks operate within clearly designated zones. By contrast, the current framework allows food trucks to operate with landowner approval, a situation that has led to misuse of spaces and monopolisation of locations. Enforcement measures have been taken in cases involving encroachment and exclusion.

He confirmed that work is ongoing to introduce a structured regulatory mechanism, covering both supervisory and enforcement aspects, which will be presented in the near future and evaluated following implementation. 

Perspective

Municipal Council member Maytham Al Hayki emphasised the importance of allocating designated sites and visual zones for food trucks to support entrepreneurs while preserving public safety and Bahrain’s urban character. He noted that all four municipalities have nominated municipal owned sites and called for clear identification through detailed mapping, stressing the need for full compliance with licensing requirements issued by the relevant authorities.