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Selling food supplements in the UK

In Great Britain, food supplements follow the general food labelling rules and The Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003. The label says 'food supplement', gives the daily dose with a warning not to exceed it, and says it is not a substitute for a varied diet. The business registers locally and keeps purchase and sale records.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Main texts
Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003; assimilated food labelling rules
On the label
'Food supplement', not 'dietary supplement'
Registration
As a food business, with the local authority
Claims
From the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register
Northern Ireland
An NI or EU address, under EU rules

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the business registered as a food business operator? Read more
  2. 2Is any ingredient a novel food that needs authorisation in GB? Read more
  3. 3Does the label carry the supplement wording and warnings? Read more
  4. 4Which claims can the label make? Read more
  5. 5Are the purchase and sale records kept? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Labelling and claims

The general food label, with the additions the supplement regulations set.

  • Supplements placed on the market in GB meet the general food labelling requirements of assimilated Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.
  • The label says 'food supplement', not 'dietary supplement'.
  • It gives the business name and address, a list of ingredients with allergens emphasised, the recommended daily dosage and a warning not to exceed it, and a statement that supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet.
  • Storage instructions include a statement that the product should be stored out of the reach of young children.
  • Claims come from the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register.

How we help: Compliant Always sets the supplement wording and the general particulars beside what your label shows, with the source for each. Ask about this

Novel ingredients

Ingredients that need authorisation first.

  • Novel foods need to be authorised before they can be placed on the market in Great Britain, under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.

How we help: Compliant Always checks your formula against the authorisations that apply in GB, and keeps the evidence for each ingredient. Ask about this

Registration and records

What a supplement business owes before and after it starts selling.

  • To sell food supplements, a business registers as a food business operator with its local authority, at least 28 days before trading.
  • Its supplier should also be registered and give fully referenced invoices and receipts.
  • It keeps records that identify who it bought supplements from and who it sold them to, with invoices and delivery notes, and produces them if enforcement authorities ask.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps supplier documents, invoices and delivery records with each product and lot, ready when an officer asks. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
BrandThe label, the claims and registration as a food business operator.The label checked against the supplement rules, with the paperwork behind it.
Contract manufacturerWhat goes into each batch, and the evidence for it.Certificates of analysis kept by batch, ready for a customer's form.
Supplier or importerRegistration, referenced invoices and, for imports, the address on the label.Supplier documents read and dated before the goods arrive.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Food supplements sold in Northern Ireland include an NI or EU address for the food business, or for its importer based in NI or the EU.

Scotland has its own food body, Food Standards Scotland, and some regulations are made separately for England, Wales and Scotland.

Questions businesses ask

How must a supplement be described on a UK label?
As a 'food supplement', not a 'dietary supplement', under The Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003.
What else does a UK supplement label need?
The business name and address, ingredients with allergens emphasised, the recommended daily dosage with a warning not to exceed it, a statement that it is not a substitute for a varied diet, and storage out of reach of young children.
Does a supplement business have to register in the UK?
Yes. To sell food supplements, a business registers as a food business operator with its local authority, at least 28 days before trading.
What records does a food supplement business keep?
Records that identify who it bought supplements from and who it sold them to, with invoices and delivery notes, produced on request to enforcement authorities.
Does a new ingredient need authorisation in Great Britain?
If it is a novel food, yes: novel foods need to be authorised before they can be placed on the market in GB, under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.
Which health claims can a supplement make in Great Britain?
Claims listed in the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register, under the conditions set out for each.
What address does a supplement sold in Northern Ireland need?
An NI or EU address for the food business. If the business is not in NI or the EU, the address of its importer based there.
Who enforces supplement rules in the UK?
Local authorities, including trading standards, which can ask to see the business's records. The Food Standards Agency publishes the guidance.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in the UK?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the split between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product and keeps the documents behind each one ready. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in the UK and what your paperwork needs to show.

Get in touch

No card, no account, and no call to book. Tell us what you make and where you sell it, and we will come back to you.

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