Food, not medicine
The single most important fact: UK food supplements are regulated as a category of food, under general food law — not as medicines. They are meant to supplement a normal diet and cannot exert a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action. Cross that line — in formulation or in how you present the product — and the MHRA can classify it as a medicine, which needs a full medicinal authorisation (a genuine licence) instead.
Register as a food business
There is no supplement-specific licence. What is mandatory is registering as a Food Business Operator with your local authority if you manufacture, import or sell food supplements. That is registration, not an approval you can be refused — but trading without it is non-compliant. It is free and done through your local council.
Permitted ingredients
The regulations set out which vitamins and minerals, and which specific chemical forms of them, may be used in food supplements. If a vitamin or mineral — or the particular form you want to use — is not on the permitted list, it cannot lawfully go into a supplement sold in the UK. Other ingredients (amino acids, fatty acids, botanicals) are common, but botanicals in particular carry their own restrictions, so formulation is where compliance starts.
Labelling
A compliant supplement label must:
- Describe the product as a "food supplement" (not "dietary supplement").
- State the recommended daily dose with a warning not to exceed it.
- Carry a statement that supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet.
- List ingredients with the 14 allergens emphasised, show the amount of active nutrients (usually per daily dose), a best-before date, storage advice including "keep out of reach of young children", and your business name and UK address.
What you can and can't claim
You may only use nutrition and health claims that appear on the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register — and note the GB register has diverged from the EU one, so an EU-authorised claim is not automatically valid here. You cannot claim or imply a supplement treats, prevents or cures a disease; that framing pushes the product into medicines territory. Keep claims to what is authorised and evidenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a licence to sell supplements in the UK?
No. There is no supplement-specific licence. You must register as a Food Business Operator with your local authority, use only permitted ingredients and forms, label correctly, and stick to authorised claims. Supplements are regulated as food, not medicine — provided they are not presented as treating or curing disease.
Are food supplements regulated as medicines?
No — they are regulated as food. But a supplement that is presented as treating, preventing or curing disease, or that acts pharmacologically, can be reclassified by the MHRA as a medicine, which requires a full medicinal authorisation. Staying on the food side means keeping both formulation and claims within the food-supplement rules.
What claims can I make about a supplement?
Only nutrition and health claims on the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register. The GB register has diverged from the EU's, so check the GB list specifically. You cannot claim or imply a supplement treats, prevents or cures a disease.
Are supplements zero-rated for VAT in the UK?
Generally no — most vitamin and mineral supplements are standard-rated for VAT rather than zero-rated as food, with only narrow named exceptions. VAT treatment of specific or novel formats can be contested, so confirm the position for your exact product with HMRC guidance or a VAT adviser.