UK Food Supplement Import & Compliance Support

Examples of food supplements covered by our compliance support

Examples of the food supplement formats we support — capsules, tablets and blister packs alike.

What We Do

Practical compliance support, start to finish

Permitted-ingredient screening

We check your formulation against the UK's permitted vitamins, minerals and substances list, and flag anything that needs pre-market authorisation under the assimilated Novel Foods Regulation 2015/2283 (broadly: any ingredient without a documented history of consumption in Great Britain before May 1997) or that may be classed as medicinal instead.

Label compliance review

Ingredient declarations, allergen labelling, recommended dose and warning statements checked against UK food labelling law.

Food Business Operator guidance

Support finding and registering your UK-based Food Business Operator with the relevant local authority at least 28 days before trading, as UK food law requires — this is the actual legal registration step for supplement businesses, rather than a product-level one.

MHRA borderline referral

Where a product sits close to the medicine/food supplement line, we help you get an informal classification view from the MHRA before you launch.

FAQ

Food supplements — common questions

Is there really no UK Responsible Person scheme for supplements?

Correct — unlike medical devices or cosmetics, there's no formal Responsible Person or product registration scheme for food supplements in UK law. Legal responsibility sits with whichever business places the product on the market, typically the importer or first UK distributor, who must register as a Food Business Operator with their local authority. See our guide on who needs a UK Responsible Person for how this compares across product types.

What is a "novel food" and how do I know if my ingredient counts?

A novel food is any ingredient without a documented history of significant consumption in Great Britain before May 1997 — this covers many newer botanical extracts, algae-derived ingredients and novel forms of vitamins/minerals. Novel foods need pre-market authorisation under the assimilated Novel Foods Regulation 2015/2283 before they can be sold. We screen your formulation against this before you commit to launch.

When do I need to register as a Food Business Operator?

At least 28 days before you start trading, with the local authority covering your UK business address (or your UK importer/distributor's address). Full detail is on gov.uk's food business registration guidance. We can guide you through this or point you to the right local authority.

What happens if my product's claims sound medicinal?

If a product's labelling or marketing claims to treat, prevent or cure a disease, it risks being reclassified as a medicine rather than a food supplement — which brings it under MHRA licensing rules entirely, not food law. We review your claims and, where a product sits close to that line, help you get an informal classification view from the MHRA before launch.

Where can I read the official guidance myself?

The Food Standards Agency publishes guidance on importing food supplements and health foods, covering labelling, contaminant limits and novel food rules. We're happy to walk through how it applies to your specific product.

UK import & compliance support for food supplements