Update on market for higher dose food supplements and use of advisory statements

Friday 14 July 2006

In September 2005, the Board agreed an interim position for establishing maximum safe levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements, in the absence of EC proposals, as the basis for the Agency�s advice to Health Ministers on the input that the UK should make to the EC discussions on establishing such levels in EC legislation.

The Board, during its discussion, requested additional evidence on the size of the UK market for higher dose vitamin and mineral supplements.

This paper provides an insight into the size of the UK market and the proportion of consumers taking higher dose vitamin and mineral supplements.

Information on the use of advisory statements agreed by the FSA and stakeholders in May 2004 for vitamins and minerals that exceeded levels recommended by the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) is also presented.