Food Supplements Europe: Taking stock of 2024's regulatory developments
Addressing the regulatory developments in the European food supplements market by 2025
Most countries in the European Union (EU) have a pre-market filing system for food supplements, which requires manufacturers to file a declaration with the government 30 days prior to the product's launch (or on the day of the launch) to report product labelling and other information, without government approval. This system facilitates the circulation of products within the EU. Once filed in one country, the product can be circulated within the EU without having to be filed in other countries.
In the EU, labelling of specific health claims must be supported by scientific studies and reviewed and approved by the European Commission. For claims that reduce the risk of disease, the relevant risk factors must also be indicated on the product label. For new health claims that are not included in the permitted list, they need to be approved, and the EU has established a detailed application and approval procedure.
The EU regulation stipulates the general principles and requirements for food labelling. Dietary supplement labels also need to comply with special requirements, such as the classification name, the recommended daily serving size, a warning not to exceed the recommended amount, and that the product is not a substitute for diet.
The EU requires dietary supplement manufacturers to comply with GMP requirements and to implement a traceability system, keeping records of production procedures for enquiry. Manufacturers are primarily responsible for product quality and safety and are required to have proper product recall systems and procedures.
According to Euromonitor, the EU retail market for food supplements is expected to reach $31.65 billion by 2025, demonstrating continued growth in market size.In the first half of 2024, the EU inventoried newly authorised food products, including protein concentrates and L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate monosodium salt, among others, which shows the trend of regulation and authorisation of novel food supplement ingredients in the EU.personalised nutritional and botanical supplements are expected to grow in popularity by 2025, linked to rising consumer awareness of health and environmental protection.
Technological innovations such as nanoencapsulation and microencapsulation are transforming the nutraceuticals industry, improving delivery efficiency and bioavailability.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the transparency and traceability of nutraceuticals' ingredients, sourcing and manufacturing processes, which is driving industry improvements in this area.
These trends and forecasts show where the European food supplements market is heading in terms of regulation, market access, health claims, labelling management, and supervision of manufacturing operations, as well as changes in market growth and consumer preferences.