Food supplement labelling requirements in Great Britain
Food supplements sold in Great Britain need the general food labelling particulars plus a set of supplement-specific statements. Here is the checklist we check every pack against, with the rule each point comes from.
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Mandatory particulars
- Name of the food, which for supplements includes the words “food supplement” (1169/2011 Art 17; Food Supplements Regulations 2003)
- List of ingredients under a heading that includes “ingredients”, in descending order of weight (Art 18)
- Allergens from the 14 listed in Annex II, emphasised in the ingredients list, for example in bold (Art 21)
- Quantity of an ingredient that is in the name, emphasised on the pack or characterises the product (QUID, Art 22)
- Net quantity (Art 23 and Annex IX)
- Best before date (Art 24 and Annex X) and any storage conditions
- Name and UK address of the business responsible for the food (Art 8 and Art 9)
- Lot or batch mark (Food (Lot Marking) Regulations 1996)
Batch codes and best before dates are usually printed when the product is packed. On a proof, a clear space reserved for them is enough.
Supplement statements
- “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
These come from the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 and the equivalent Scottish and Welsh regulations, and apply in addition to the general rules above.
Nutrients and %NRV
Vitamins and minerals must be in a permitted form and declared per daily dose, with the percentage of the nutrient reference value (%NRV). Other substances are declared per daily dose without %NRV. Amounts should also be checked against the UK's advisory safe upper levels.
Health and nutrition claims
Any claim that a nutrient or the product has a health benefit must match an authorised entry on the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register, keep its meaning and meet its conditions of use (1924/2006). Claims to prevent, treat or cure disease are not allowed on food (1169/2011 Art 7).
Presentation and text size
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.
The name of the food and the net quantity must appear in the same field of vision (Art 13(5)). Information must be legible, indelible and not hidden or interrupted by other text or images.
More guides
Free tools
- Health claim finder: search the GB register for authorised wording and conditions
- x-height checker: check text size against the 1.2 mm and 0.9 mm minimums
- %NRV calculator: %NRV per daily dose for every vitamin and mineral
Rules for your type of pack
Each format has its own pitfalls, from text lost in a pouch gusset to particulars printed on a carton's glue flap. See the guide for your pack:
These rules cover Great Britain. Northern Ireland follows EU rules for food labelling.
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ProofMyLabel is an automated pre-check, not regulatory sign-off or legal advice. The food business operator remains responsible for the packaging.