Selling US dietary supplements in the UK: what changes on your label
By Drew Cooper, Founder & CEO · Last reviewed: 30 October 2026
Most US dietary supplements can be sold in the UK, but very few can be sold with their US label. The formula is often fine. What usually changes is how the product is described: the Supplement Facts panel, the claims, the mandatory warnings and the UK business named on the pack. FDA registration does not carry over, and Great Britain has its own list of permitted claims.
What changes from a US label
| On your US label | In Great Britain |
|---|---|
| "Dietary supplement" | The product must be sold under the name "food supplement". |
| Supplement Facts panel | Replaced by the amount of each vitamin, mineral or other substance per recommended daily dose, with the percentage of the nutrient reference value for vitamins and minerals, plus a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised. |
| Structure/function claims and the FDA disclaimer | Only claims on the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register can be used, under their conditions of use. The FDA disclaimer has no standing here. |
| Anything suggesting the product treats or prevents a condition | Food labelling must not claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease. Claims like this can also make the product a medicine in the eyes of the MHRA. |
| Your US company or distributor address | The name and address of the food business responsible for the product in Great Britain. If your business is not established here, that is a UK Food Business Operator, the role Lantara takes on. |
| US warning statements | The UK statements instead: the recommended daily dose, a warning not to exceed it, that supplements should not replace a varied diet, and to keep out of the reach of young children. |
| US units | Net quantity in metric units. |
Ingredients that need a closer look
- Novel foods. An ingredient not eaten to a significant degree in the UK or EU before 15 May 1997 needs authorisation before it can be sold in Great Britain. EU authorisations granted since 2021 do not automatically apply here.
- Vitamin and mineral forms. Only permitted forms can be used, so a form that is common in the US may need swapping.
- Animal-derived ingredients. Ingredients such as bovine collagen need sourcing and paperwork that meet UK import rules.
- Botanicals near the medicine borderline. Many herbal ingredients are fine in food, but the dose and the way the product is presented decide which side of the line it falls.
From our work
- A liquid L-arginine supplement backed by blood pressure studies. The ingredient was not the problem. Leading with blood pressure would push the product towards medicine territory, so the packaging and messaging needed reworking before UK sale.
- A moringa and collagen powder heading for Amazon FBA. No concerns with the moringa. The bovine collagen needed its source confirmed against the approved list before we could move forward.
Is FDA registration enough?
No. FDA registration, US GMP certification and a compliant US label are good evidence that your product is made properly, and we use them in our review. They do not make the product compliant in Great Britain. There is no pre-market approval for food supplements here: responsibility sits with the business placing the product on the UK market, and Trading Standards enforce it.
Selling in the EU as well?
The EU starts from similar rules, but permitted claims, ingredients and maximum levels can differ between member states, and each country needs its own language. See EU compliance.
How Lantara helps
We review your label against the rules in Great Britain, tell you exactly what needs to change, act as your UK Food Business Operator and handle your UK VAT. See UK product compliance and labelling, or start with a free readiness check.