Not for EU Labelling: Food Supplements and the Bit Everyone Keeps Getting Wrong

If you sell food supplements in the UK, you have probably seen the phrase “Not for EU” floating around packaging, pallets and panicked WhatsApp messages.

And if you are anything like most founders, you have asked at least one of these questions:

Do I need it? Where does it go? Does it mean I cannot sell in Europe anymore? Why does this feel more stressful than it should?

Let’s demystify it.

After Brexit, the UK introduced a requirement for certain goods placed on the UK market only to be labelled “Not for EU”. The intention was simple. To prevent products intended solely for Great Britain from being diverted into the European Union single market.

Simple intention. Messy execution.

Does it apply to food supplements?

Short answer: sometimes.

The “Not for EU” marking is primarily linked to goods that are subject to regulatory divergence and official controls. For food supplements, this usually becomes relevant when products are:

●      Manufactured or packaged specifically for the UK market

●      Moving through supply chains where there is a risk of EU re-entry

●      Falling under controls that differ between Great Britain and EU rules

If you manufacture in the UK and only sell in Great Britain, you may still be asked by logistics partners, fulfilment centres or retailers to apply the marking, even if it is not strictly required for your exact setup.

That is where a lot of confusion comes from.

What the label actually means and what it does not

“Not for EU” does not mean your product is unsafe.
It does not mean your formulation is non-compliant.
It does not mean you are banned from selling in Europe forever.

It simply means that this specific pack is not intended to be placed on the EU market.

If you later decide to sell the same supplement in the EU, you will need EU-compliant labelling, an EU food business operator address, and confirmation that the formulation meets EU rules. You cannot just ship UK-labelled stock and hope for the best. It will be stopped.

Placement and format

The marking must be clearly visible, legible and indelible. It needs to be on the packaging itself, not hidden in paperwork or mentioned verbally.

Sticker labels can be acceptable if they are durable and properly applied. Handwritten additions are not acceptable, however tempting that might be when deadlines loom.

The commercial reality

Here is the part many brands overlook. Adding “Not for EU” can reduce flexibility.

If you are a growing supplement brand with ambitions beyond the UK, it may make sense to run dual packaging, delay applying the marking until it is genuinely required, or get advice before committing to large print runs.

Nothing hurts quite like perfectly good stock that suddenly cannot go where your business wants to go next.

The bottom line

“Not for EU” labelling is not something to panic about, but it is specific and context dependent.

If your food supplement is UK-only, label accordingly if required. If Europe is on your roadmap, plan for it early. Regulation is not here to kill your business. But ignoring it absolutely can.

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