Food supplement labels: what they must contain and why they are a delicate project

A bottle just a few centimetres tall has to hold mandatory information, warnings, claims and brand identity. A food supplement label is one of the most constrained design projects there is: every word has a legal basis and space is always tight.

The relevant legislation

Food supplements are foods. They follow Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, plus the specific rules of Directive 2002/46/EC, implemented in Italy by Legislative Decree No 169 of 21 May 2004. Health claims are governed by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and must be among those authorised by Regulation (EU) No 432/2012. Before the product goes on sale, the label is notified to the Ministry of Health.

What the label must communicate

In addition to the information required for all foods, a food supplement label must include specific elements:

• the product name as a food supplement;
• the characterising substances and their amounts;
• the directions for use and recommended dose;
• the mandatory warnings required by law;
• the ingredients and allergens, plus the details of the responsible operator.

For some ingredients and plant extracts, further warnings and national rules apply. This is where the most common mistakes occur.

Claims: the most delicate part

On the label — and also on the website and social media — only authorised health claims may be used, under their conditions of use. A supplement cannot be presented as preventing or curing a disease. Even a small rewording, made to sound more appealing, can make a claim non-compliant.

Why the design needs experience

Legibility, information hierarchy, consistency between carton, bottle, website and e-commerce: the rules regulate these aspects precisely, and they must coexist with a strong brand image. Striking that balance takes knowledge of the rules and plenty of hands-on practice.

Consistency between the label and online communication is often underestimated: we cover it in what a pharmaceutical and nutraceutical company website needs.

Our approach

For supplement ranges, we build graphic systems designed to grow: each new product stays compliant, recognisable on shelf and quick to develop. It is a method refined over years of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging design, allowing us to handle both the creative and the regulatory side for our clients.