Food supplements

Which? welcomes new legislation which will properly protect people who take supplements, ensuring that products are safe, that they contain forms of vitamins and minerals that offer some benefit, and that they are clearly labelled.

Protection for consumers

Under the EU Food Supplements Directive supplements will only be able to include vitamins and minerals taken from an approved list. The Directive also ensures that they are clearly labelled.

Contrary to the many misleading reports put out by those wishing to promote and sell supplements free of controls to protect consumers, the directive is not anti-consumer choice. It will instead mean that at long last consumers can make informed choices about the supplements they take.

Which? campaigning

Which? has been concerned for some time that the increasing number of people who take food supplements may have been doing so without proper controls over the safety of these supplements, their quality, or the information that is provided on the label.

Over past years we have published reports and articles in Which? magazine highlighting the gaps in legislation and areas where consumers needed greater protection.

Our Food supplements briefing below outlines in more detail the benefits we believe the legislation will deliver.

Resources

Food supplements briefing (PDF: 46Kb)

01 July 2005

Briefing setting out what the new legislation on food supplements means for consumers.

 

Implementing food supplements directive (PDF: 36Kb)

01 December 2004

Which? response to Food Standards Agency consultation on guidance notes for implementation of directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements.

Proposed EU Directive on food supplements (PDF: 58Kb)

01 July 2000

Consumers' Association response to Food Standards Agency consultation.

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