The name on the front of the pack is part of the marketing. It can sound promising, but it does not follow the same strict rules as the information on the back. The back is where you find what really describes the product: the list of ingredients, the amount in a portion and the recommended dose.
What must be on the label of a food supplement in Poland
The required information comes from Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers and from Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements. In Poland, these rules apply together with the Act on food and nutrition safety.
| Label element | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| The words “food supplement” | The product category. A supplement is a food, not a medicine, and different rules apply to it |
| List of ingredients | All ingredients in descending order of weight, as measured during production |
| Amount of ingredients in a portion | The amount of substances with a nutritional or physiological effect in the recommended daily portion |
| Recommended portion | How much of the product you should take per day, with a warning not to exceed this amount |
| Information about the role of the supplement | A statement that a supplement is not a substitute for a varied diet |
| Storage warning | A note to keep the product out of the reach of young children |
| Best before date | The date until which the manufacturer guarantees the declared properties |
| Details of the responsible business | The name and address of the company that receives questions and complaints |
| Batch number and net quantity | The identification of the production batch and the contents of the pack |
For vitamins and minerals, the label also gives a percentage of the reference intake, shown as RI. This compares the amount with values set for an average adult. It is not personal advice.
Read more: How food supplements are supervised in Poland – notification, GIS and producer obligations
The order of ingredients is not random
The list of ingredients is in descending order of weight, as measured when the ingredients are used in production. So the first ingredient on the list is present in the largest amount.
In liquid products, the first ingredient is usually water, and this means nothing on its own. Water carries the other ingredients. A separate statement of quantity tells you how much active substance there is, not its place on the list.
Look at the length of the list. A short list is not automatically better, but it makes it easier to check what exactly is in the product. One example is the THESYBIN food supplement, with this list of ingredients: deionised water, OLINATI.MED®, zinc pidolate, calcium D-pantothenate, flavouring.
Additives, for example preservatives, sweeteners or colours, appear with the name of their category and their specific name or E number. An E number means that experts assessed the substance and it is permitted for use in food.
The active ingredient and its amount in a portion
The list alone does not tell you how much of a substance you really get. A separate statement of quantity gives this information. It is usually in milligrams, micrograms or units that are specific to the ingredient.
Read more: How much is 36 mg – how to understand the doses on supplement labels
For ingredients of microbial origin, the way the amount is given depends on the type of product. For live bacterial cultures, labels use CFU (colony-forming units). For non-living preparations, they use units of weight. A reliable description also gives the full strain name with its collection number.
Read more: What the code after a bacterium’s name means and why the strain designation matters
For plant extracts, standardisation is important. A phrase like “extract standardised to 5 per cent of a given compound” tells you more than the weight of the extract. It shows how much of the substance used for standardisation the extract contains.
Why you should always look at the portion, not the pack
This is the most common cause of confusion. The large number on the front is sometimes the amount in the whole pack, not in one portion.
The statement of quantity on the label refers to the recommended daily portion, which is what you really take in a day. If one portion is two capsules, the amount shown is for two capsules together, not for one.
When you compare two products, use the same basis for both: how much of the substance you get per day and how many portions the pack contains.
The recommended daily portion and why you should not exceed it
The recommended portion is the amount set by the responsible business and reported when the product goes on the market. It is not a random choice: it takes into account the limits that apply to each ingredient.
A warning not to exceed the recommended portion must be on the label. For some ingredients, especially fat-soluble vitamins and some minerals, there are upper limits for safe intake.
Also think about adding amounts together. If you take several products at the same time, the same ingredient can be in more than one of them, and the total amount can be higher than you planned. People who take medicines or have health problems should talk to a doctor or pharmacist about using supplements.
Trade names of ingredients and their real names
Many ingredients have registered names, written in capital letters or with a trademark symbol. Such a name means a specific raw material from a specific supplier, made to a defined specification.
However, the trade name alone does not tell you what exactly it is. That is why a real description should appear next to it: where the ingredient comes from, what form it has and how much of it is in a portion.
So a trade name identifies a raw material, but it does not describe it. It does not replace information about the composition or the amount. When a manufacturer gives only the registered name, it is harder to assess the product yourself.
What must not be on a supplement label
Promises of treatment
A food supplement is a food, not a medicinal product. So the label and advertising must not say that it prevents diseases, treats them or removes their symptoms.
This ban comes from the rules on food labelling. It applies whatever studies someone quotes. Phrases such as “cures” or “prevents disease” must not appear in the description of a supplement.
Unauthorised health claims
A health claim is any statement that suggests a link between an ingredient and health. You can use such statements only if they are authorised and appear in the list set up by Regulation (EU) No 432/2012.
The earlier Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets the general rules. For example, a claim must be about an ingredient present in a significant amount. It must use the authorised wording or wording with the same meaning for the consumer.
For many ingredients in supplements, there are no authorised health claims. If a description does not mention them, this does not show lower quality. It shows that the manufacturer follows the rules.
Checklist: seven things to check before you buy
- Is it really a food supplement? Check the category name on the pack. Different rules apply to a supplement, a food for special medical purposes and a medicine.
- What is the recommended daily portion? Find out how much of the product you should take per day and how many portions the pack contains.
- How much active ingredient is in one portion? Look for a specific number with a unit, not just the name of the ingredient on the list.
- Is the ingredient described precisely? For bacterial strains, look for the full name with the collection number. For plant extracts, look for the part of the plant and the standardisation.
- What does the list of ingredients look like? Read the whole list and remember that the order follows descending weight.
- Are the details of the responsible business given? The company name and address and the batch number are the basis for any complaint.
- What is the best before date and how should you store the product? Also check the advice on use after opening. Read more: Best before and use by – two dates that mean different things
Summary
The front of the pack helps you recognise the product, and the back helps you assess it. The required label elements, that is the list of ingredients, the statement of quantity and the recommended portion, let you compare products.
The most common trap is to confuse the amount in the pack with the amount in the daily portion. When you compare both products by the amount per day, the whole picture can change.
Also remember that the careful language of a description comes from the rules, not from a lack of arguments. Food law does not allow health promises. If you see such promises, check whether that wording may be used at all.
FAQ
Does a shorter ingredient list always mean a better product?
No. The length of the list depends on the form of the product and the technology, not on quality. But a short list makes it easier to check what exactly the product contains, and there are fewer items to check yourself.
What does an E number next to an ingredient mean?
It is the code of an additive that is permitted for use in food in the European Union. The number shows a specific substance and helps people identify it, for example people who avoid certain ingredients.
Is a food supplement tested before it goes on the market?
Before a supplement goes on the market for the first time, the business must notify the competent authority. The responsible business is responsible for the safety and compliance of the product. Article 29 of the Act of 25 August 2006 on food and nutrition safety describes the notification procedure. These rules are different from the registration procedure for medicines.
Why do some products not describe the effects of their ingredients?
Because a product description can only mention effects that have authorised health claims. For many ingredients, there are no such claims. So a manufacturer who follows the rules gives only information about the composition and the amounts.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers.
- Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements.
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health.
- Act of 25 August 2006 on food and nutrition safety (Poland, as amended).
- Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS), Electronic Notification System and Register of products covered by a notification of first placing on the market, https://powiadomienia.gis.gov.pl