Sourcing food supplements from China for a UK brand
Before ordering, obtain the complete formula, check ingredient and novel food status, and review labels and claims for your intended market. UK importers are responsible for supplement composition, safety and labelling. Factory certificates cannot replace these checks. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate supplier documents through its staff in China.
Set the market and responsibility before sourcing
If you import supplements into the UK, you are legally responsible for their composition, safety and labelling. Selling supplements also requires registration as a food business with your local authority. Name the business handling the compliance review before approving a factory formula.
The novel food route described below covers Great Britain. For Northern Ireland, obtain a separate market review before ordering. Write the destination, intended users, daily intake and dosage form into your product specification, rather than asking for a generic private-label supplement.
Review the exact ingredients, not the catalogue name
Check added vitamins, minerals and their chemical forms against the permitted supplement lists for Great Britain. Other ingredients must be safe for human consumption. Request a complete quantitative formula covering active ingredients, carriers, capsule shells, flavours and processing aids; include each ingredient's supplier and specification.
For botanical extracts, ask for the species, plant part, extraction process, solvent and standardisation marker. Have a supplement specialist review the proposed daily intake and ingredient suitability. If the factory withholds the formula, settle confidential disclosure before paying for samples; our IP guide covers the wider confidentiality discussion.
Resolve novel food status before committing
Novel foods need authorisation before being placed on the Great Britain market. Check the official novel foods register and the relevant authorisation conditions against the exact ingredient and intended use. The guidance allows sale of authorised novel foods under the register conditions unless data protection measures apply.
Keep the identity documents and status reasoning in your product file. A familiar plant name is a starting point for research, not a conclusion about an extract. If uncertainty remains after consulting the official resources, the guidance requires a formal novel food status consultation request. Put production on hold while this is resolved.
Approve the label and the sales claims together
The label must identify the product as a food supplement. It must carry a warning against exceeding the recommended daily dose and a statement that supplements should not replace a varied diet. Build the artwork review around the formula, daily portion, declared nutrient amounts, allergens, business details, storage advice and durability marking.
Food cannot be claimed or implied to treat, prevent or cure disease. Authorised health claims have conditions of use, so check the proposed wording and formula together. Include website copy and advertisements in the review: claims rules extend beyond the bottle. Ask for written approval of the finished artwork before printing.
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Ask for documents that follow the production batch
Request the manufacturer's identity and site details, formula revision, raw-material specifications, allergen declaration, batch manufacturing records and finished-batch certificate of analysis. Ask for test methods, results and sample identification, plus shelf-life evidence for the actual pack. Agree a laboratory plan for identity, potency, microbiological quality and relevant contaminants with a specialist.
Match documents to the factory, formula and batch being shipped. Check any quality certificate's issuer, site and scope; use our factory audit guide for the general site checks. Keep supplier and business-customer records, invoices and delivery notes, as required. Agree formula-change approval, retained samples and batch release responsibilities before placing the order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import private-label supplements from China?
Yes, provided the product meets the applicable UK requirements. The importer is responsible for composition, safety and labelling. Review the exact formula and intended market before ordering.
How do I check whether a supplement ingredient is novel?
Research its exact identity and intended use using official novel food resources. Check authorisation conditions. If uncertainty remains, submit a formal novel food status consultation request.
Can my supplement claim to treat a disease?
No. Food cannot claim or imply that it treats, prevents or cures disease. Review proposed health claims and their conditions of use before approving packaging or sales copy.
What documents should I request from the factory?
Ask for the complete formula, ingredient specifications, allergen declaration, batch records, batch analysis and shelf-life evidence. Check that each document matches the manufacturing site and product being supplied.