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Dietary Supplements: Regulation

Asked by Mr Andrew SnowdenConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 5 September 2025UIN 73506

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what regulations are in place to ensure the accuracy of health claims made in the marketing of protein supplements.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

Legislation on Nutrition and Health Claims sets out the legal framework for businesses wanting to make nutrition and/or health claims on their products. A health claim is any claim that states, suggests or implies that health benefits can result from consuming a given food. These require health claims to be authorised on the basis they are supported by evidence and only health claims that are on the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims (GB NHC) Register of approved health claims can be used. The Register is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register.

Protein supplements are also regulated under Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003, along with equivalent legislation for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as all other applicable food law. The labelling requirements set out in the regulations state that labelling needs to be clear and easy for consumers to understand.

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