In recent years, the market for food supplements has seen significant growth, which has also led to greater regulatory complexity; and as if that weren’t enough, each EU country has its own regulations, which further complicates matters.
In the early stages, partly to save costs and partly due to a lack of awareness, many companies choose not to give regulatory matters the attention they deserve; the surprises come later, when they receive an inspection visit or face requirements following the notification of their products, with the costs that this can entail, both in terms of reprinting labels and potential fines.
And it is not just a matter of ensuring that labelling complies with current legislation; the entire marketing and communications strategy should also be reviewed, as health authorities are increasingly focusing on monitoring websites, social media and online marketplaces.
It is advisable to engage a reputable consultancy firm that keeps abreast of all regulatory updates in the sector. Furthermore, prior to a new product launch, it is essential to verify that the formulation complies with the regulations of all the countries where the product is to be marketed. This would be the most cost-effective approach to avoid subsequent product recalls and the associated costs.
It is also extremely important that the consultancy firm we choose to work with has extensive experience across various markets, as this enables a much broader and more nuanced understanding of the regulations, allowing each situation to be assessed in a realistic and tailored manner, depending on the country – and even the autonomous community, in the case of Spain – where the company is based.
Far from being a constraint, full compliance with regulations has a positive impact on the brand’s image and reputation in the eyes of consumers, and above all gives the company peace of mind, allowing it to focus its efforts on other areas of the business.
At Supplaffairs, we have worked for many years with small and large brands that see us as a strategic and essential partner for their development and growth. But this relationship is bidirectional: thanks to them, we also benefit from new challenges and situations that enrich our expertise in the regulation of food supplements.