Export of dietary supplements to the UK – registration and labelling [2026]

The UK supplement market is huge, and Polish manufacturers are valued on it. Dietary supplements are treated in the UK as food (Food Supplements), not medicines (unless they have medicinal properties).

Formal requirements

1. Importer status: The importer in the UK must be a registered Food Business Operator (FBO). 2. Product registration? Unlike Poland (where we report to GIS), the UK has no central register of supplements "before placing on the market", unless they are novel products (Novel Foods). Responsibility lies with the manufacturer/importer.

Labelling (Key)

Never send supplements with Polish labelling. This is a direct route to disposal. The label must be in English and include:

• The name "Food Supplement".
• Quantitative ingredient statements (e.g. Vitamin C 500mg).
• % NRV (Nutrient Reference Value) – British equivalent of RI.
• Warnings ("Do not exceed daily dose").
• Address of the responsible entity in the UK (FBO). Without a UK address, the goods will not enter the market.

Health Claims

The UK post-Brexit has created its own register GB Register of Nutrition and Health Claims. If you write on the box "Leals cancer" (Cures cancer) – the product will be blocked as an illegal medicine. You may only use approved claims (e.g. "Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones").

Customs Duty and VAT

• 0% duty (TCA).
• VAT in the UK on dietary supplements: The standard rate is 20%. (Some food products have 0%, but supplements usually fall under 20%).

What the current official guidance means in practice

For operational work, the current procedural rules, declaration fields and relief conditions should be checked directly against the official guidance. For this topic, the core reference points are European Commission, GOV.UK / HMRC.

Official sources

• EU Commission (Customs procedures) — European Commission, 2026-03-04
• UK GOV (Importing into the UK) — GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026-03-04
• GOV.UK: Customs Declaration Service — GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026-03-04