NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has warned manufacturers and traders against displaying its Standardisation Mark (S-Mark) on beverages infused with miraa, saying it has not approved any such products under its certification scheme.
In a public notice issued on Friday, October 16, the bureau said some manufacturers had allegedly been using permits issued for fruit juices and other drinks to market beverages containing khat, commonly known as miraa.
KEBS clarified that its certification permits apply only to the specific products approved under the relevant certification and cannot be used to suggest that unrelated products have met the required standards.
The agency said miraa and its derivatives remain excluded from its product certification scheme because of regulatory concerns surrounding their psychoactive constituents, including cathinone and cathine.
“KEBS has therefore not issued Standardisation Mark permits for any khat-infused beverages,” the bureau said.
Traders Risk Enforcement Action Over Misuse Of KEBS Mark
The standards regulator warned that manufacturers and traders who misuse its certification mark could face enforcement action under the Standards Act, Cap. 496.
KEBS said it would continue conducting market surveillance to identify businesses that misrepresent the certification status of their products.
The bureau also disclosed that it had already revoked permits in cases involving violations.
According to the regulator, falsely presenting a product as KEBS-approved can mislead consumers and undermine efforts to enforce product standards and ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
The warning means traders cannot rely on an existing certification for fruit juice or another beverage to imply that a miraa-infused drink has also received official approval.
Consumers Urged To Verify Product Certification
KEBS has urged consumers not to assume that a beverage is officially certified simply because it carries the familiar Standardisation Mark.
Members of the public have been encouraged to verify certification through the bureau’s official channels, including SMS code 20023, and report suspected misuse through its toll-free line.
Consumers can also consult KEBS verification guidance to establish whether a product has been certified.
The agency said the checks are intended to help the public identify products whose certification status may have been misrepresented.
Warning Comes Amid Government Efforts To Expand Miraa Trade
The notice comes amid wider government efforts to facilitate miraa exports and strengthen regulation of the trade.
In February, the government reopened designated Kenya-Somalia border points to facilitate road transport of miraa to Somalia following requests from traders.
In 2025, the Ministry of Cooperatives announced plans to regulate miraa supply through specialised cooperatives, improve security along transport routes and pursue Djibouti as an additional export market.
The latest KEBS warning concerns the certification of beverages containing miraa, underscoring the distinction between efforts to facilitate the crop’s trade and the regulatory requirements governing products made from it.
The bureau has urged traders to comply with certification requirements and warned consumers to verify product claims rather than relying solely on displayed quality marks.
