Check your supplement pouch artwork before print

What we check on a pouch

• Every mandatory particular and supplement statement, wherever it sits on the pouch
• “Food supplement” and the names of the nutrients or substances that characterise the product
• The recommended daily dose, a warning not to exceed it, that supplements should not replace a varied diet, and to keep out of reach of young children
• The amount of each vitamin, mineral or other substance per daily dose, with %NRV for vitamins and minerals
• Health and nutrition claims against the GB register
• Allergen emphasis, QUID and the UK business address

Pouch pitfalls

• Folds and gussets. Text that runs into a bottom gusset or across a side fold can be hidden or distorted once the pouch is filled and standing. Keep mandatory text on the flat faces.
• Seals, zips and tear notches. Heat-seal margins, the zip line and tear notches can crush or cut through text. Keep particulars clear of them.
• Field of vision. The name of the food and the net quantity must be visible together, usually on the front face (1169/2011 Art 13(5)).
• Substrate and contrast. Small text on metallised, kraft or clear film can lose contrast. Legibility is part of the requirement, not just size.
• Batch and best before. These are often printed at filling. Leave a clear space for them on the proof.

Text size on pouches

Mandatory text needs a minimum x-height (the height of a lowercase “x”) of 1.2 mm, or 0.9 mm where the largest surface of the pack is under 80 cm² (1169/2011 Art 13 and Annex IV). Add your artwork size when you check a PDF and we measure your smallest text rather than estimate it.

Most supplement pouches have a largest surface well over 80 cm², so 1.2 mm normally applies.

How to upload

Upload the print-ready PDF with all panels, including the back and gussets. Tell us it's a pouch and give the flat size in mm. If the pouch also carries a US Supplement Facts panel, choose the dual-market option.