UK Food Supplements: Composition, Name and Label Particulars in England
Check every vitamin and mineral form against the permitted lists and every label against the regulation 6 particulars.
In Short
- Legal name: 'food supplement'.
- Only permitted vitamin forms.
- Prepacked sale only.
In England, food supplements sold as food are governed by the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/1387), as amended after EU exit, together with general food information law. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own parallel regulations, and Northern Ireland follows different rules under the Windsor Framework; none of those were opened here. Food Standards Agency guidance was not opened. This guide summarises the England text; it is orientation, not legal advice. Sources checked 4 Oct 2026.
What counts as a food supplement
Regulation 2 defines a food supplement as a food intended to supplement the normal diet that is a concentrated source of a vitamin, mineral or other substance with a nutritional or physiological effect, and is sold in dose form: capsules, tablets, pastilles, sachets of powder, drop bottles and similar measured small units. Regulation 3 applies the rules to supplements sold as food and presented as such, and excludes medicinal products as defined in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
More on what counts as a food supplement
Borderline products need a documented classification decision before launch.
Composition: Permitted Forms and Purity
Regulation 5 prohibits selling a supplement made with a vitamin or mineral unless the vitamin or mineral is listed in Schedule 1, and in a form listed in Schedule 2, to the Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, and meets the relevant purity criteria. Purity criteria come from retained or domestic legislation where they exist, otherwise from generally accepted criteria recommended by international bodies.
Worked Example: Form Check for Formula F-88
| Ingredient | Form on certificate | Permitted list? |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc | Zinc citrate | Check Schedule 2: listed |
| Vitamin D | Cholecalciferol | Check Schedule 2: listed |
| Botanical extract | Not a vitamin or mineral | Outside regulation 5; other rules apply |
- Zinc
- Form on certificate
- Zinc citrate
- Permitted list?
- Check Schedule 2: listed
- Vitamin D
- Form on certificate
- Cholecalciferol
- Permitted list?
- Check Schedule 2: listed
- Botanical extract
- Form on certificate
- Not a vitamin or mineral
- Permitted list?
- Outside regulation 5; other rules apply
More on composition: Permitted Forms and Purity
Supplier specifications and certificates should identify the exact chemical form, so a formulation reviewer can check it against the permitted list before a batch is made.
Sale and Name
Regulation 4 says no food supplement may be sold to the ultimate consumer unless it is prepacked. Regulation 6(1) requires the name under which it is sold to be 'food supplement'.
More on sale and Name
Brand and descriptive names can appear alongside, but the legal name must be present. This affects artwork templates directly: every SKU's label master should carry the legal name, and an artwork change that drops it should be caught at review by the person approving the label, not discovered on the shelf.
Mandatory Label Particulars
Without prejudice to general food information law, regulation 6(2) requires: the category names of the characterising nutrients or substances; the recommended daily portion; a warning not to exceed it; a statement that supplements should not substitute for a varied diet; a statement to store out of reach of young children; and the amount of each vitamin, mineral or other substance present. Regulation 6(3) requires amounts in numerical form, using the specified units for listed vitamins and minerals.
Regulation 6(2) label particulars
More on mandatory Label Particulars
Regulation 7 sets where particulars must appear on the packaging or label.
Worked Label Check: SKU FS-210
Illustrative only. A vitamin D and zinc tablet, SKU FS-210, is reviewed before print.
More on worked Label Check: SKU FS-210
The reviewer confirms: legal name 'food supplement' present; characterising nutrients named; daily portion 'one tablet'; do-not-exceed warning; varied-diet statement; out-of-reach statement; vitamin D and zinc amounts in numbers and correct units; zinc source in a permitted form per supplier certificate C-778. Health claims, allergen and general food information rules are checked separately. The regulatory lead signs the label version; the batch record references it.
Questions
What must a UK food supplement be called?
Regulation 6(1) of the England Regulations requires the name under which it is sold to be 'food supplement'.
Can food supplements be sold loose in England?
No. Regulation 4 prohibits selling a food supplement to the ultimate consumer unless it is prepacked.
Which vitamin and mineral forms are allowed?
Those listed in Schedules 1 and 2 to the Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, meeting the relevant purity criteria, under regulation 5.
Do these rules cover all of the UK?
No. This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations, and Northern Ireland differs under the Windsor Framework.
Practical orientation, not legal advice. Rules differ by jurisdiction; your quality and compliance team decides what applies.
Keep reading
EU Food Supplements Directive 2002/46/EC: Composition and Labelling
Pet Food and Animal Food cGMP Readiness: 21 CFR 507
ASEAN Supplements Readiness: Singapore HSA and the Regional Hub
Australian Listed Medicines: What the Sponsor Certifies Under Section 26A
Brazil ANVISA Supplements: RDC 243/2018 Readiness Guide
BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 Guide: Culture, HACCP, Traceability and Audits