How do I launch a private label food supplement in the EU?
A food supplement follows EU label rules set by Directive 2002/46/EC, but notification is national: Article 10 only lets each country require it. Latvia charges EUR 125 for a supplement made in the European Economic Area (EEA) and decides within a month, Finland EUR 68 online, Estonia nothing; Sweden has no notification for ordinary supplements.
What counts as a food supplement under EU law?
A food that adds to the normal diet. Directive 2002/46/EC, Article 2(a) defines food supplements as "foodstuffs the purpose of which is to supplement the normal diet and which are concentrated sources of nutrients", or of other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect. Annex I lists the vitamins and minerals that may be added, Annex II their permitted sources.
The European Commission adds that products with vitamins or minerals in forms not listed in Annex II have been banned from trade since 1 August 2005. There are no EU-wide maximum amounts: the Commission consulted widely and issued a discussion paper, but "no proposal has yet been presented". The Commission's page is undated.
Is there a single EU notification for food supplements?
No. Article 10 of Directive 2002/46/EC says "Member States may require the manufacturer or the person placing the product on the market" to notify the authority, and the Commission describes notification as something EU countries "may request". Whether you must notify, what it costs and how long it takes depend on each country where the supplement goes on sale.
A notification is not an approval. Finland's Food Authority says the receipt of a notification does not mean the product is approved, and Sweden's Livsmedelsverket cannot review or approve a given product in advance.
Do you have to notify in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland and Sweden, and what does it cost?
Latvia, Estonia and Finland require a notification before or on the day of sale, Lithuania has a procedure under its food authority, and Sweden has none for ordinary supplements. Latvia charges EUR 125 for a supplement made in the EEA. Estonia charges nothing. Finland charges EUR 68 through its electronic service.
| Country | Authority | Notification before sale | Fee | Time | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia | Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) | Yes: the company notifies, and the supplement may be sold only once it is in PVD's register | EUR 125 if made in the EEA; EUR 210 if made outside the EEA and already notified in an EEA country; EUR 380 for a first registration of a product made outside the EEA; EUR 35 for each additional supplement that differs in flavour or scent | PVD decides within one month; within 10 working days for an identical product | Cabinet Regulation No. 685; PVD |
| Lithuania | State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) | A notification procedure is set by VMVT order No. B1-22 of 16 January 2014, in force since 23 January 2014 | Not confirmed from an official page | Not confirmed from an official page | Order No. B1-22 on e-Seimas |
| Estonia | Agriculture and Food Board (PTA) | Yes, no later than the day the supplement is placed on the market; the business placing it on the market notifies | Free | Through the client portal the notice enters the database automatically; by post or email in about one week | PTA: food supplements |
| Finland | Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) | Yes, before the supplement is placed on the market; a model of the label is a mandatory attachment | EUR 68 through the electronic service; EUR 136 by post or email | Not stated | Guideline; fees |
| Sweden | Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket); the municipality registers the business | No notification for ordinary food supplements; the business registers with the municipality instead | No notification fee; registration fee not confirmed | Register at least two weeks before the business starts | Livsmedelsverket |
Livsmedelsverket is explicit: "There is no notification procedure in place for placing food supplements on the Swedish market." A business that sells them must still register, and "En anmälan om registrering ska göras senast två veckor innan verksamheten startar" (registration must be notified at least two weeks before the business starts, Livsmedelsverket).
In Finland, "the fee for each notification submitted via the electronic service is 68 euros", and half the fee is charged if processing is suspended for missing information or the notification is cancelled (Ruokavirasto). In Estonia, "Teavitamine on tasuta" (notification is free), though a supervision fee of EUR 40.84 an hour applies if products are later inspected (PTA). In Latvia, a later change costs EUR 100 for form, pack size, daily dose or ingredients and EUR 50 for the label or accompanying information (Cabinet Regulation No. 1145).
Who files the notification: the brand or the manufacturer?
The business that places the supplement on the market, which can be your brand or the manufacturer. Article 10 names "the manufacturer or the person placing the product on the market". Latvia asks the company to submit the notification, Estonia the business placing the product on the market, and Finland the operator that produces, imports or has a supplement produced.
PTA puts it in one line: "Teavitama peab toidulisandi turuleviija" (the one placing the supplement on the market must notify), whether importer, distributor, manufacturer or their representative in Estonia. For the label, EU food law makes the operator under whose name the food is marketed responsible (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Article 8); see who is responsible for the label of a private label food.
What must a food supplement label say?
Five statements on top of the general food label. Article 6(3) requires the categories of nutrients or substances that characterise the product, the recommended daily portion, a warning not to exceed it, a statement that supplements do not replace a varied diet, and a warning to keep them out of reach of young children.
| Statement | Point | Wording in the Directive |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrients or substances | 6(3)(a) | "the names of the categories of nutrients or substances that characterise the product" |
| Daily portion | 6(3)(b) | "the portion of the product recommended for daily consumption" |
| Dose warning | 6(3)(c) | "a warning not to exceed the stated recommended daily dose" |
| Varied diet | 6(3)(d) | "a statement to the effect that food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet" |
| Children | 6(3)(e) | A statement that "the products should be stored out of the reach of young children" |
Article 6(2) adds that labelling "must not attribute to food supplements the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease". The general particulars of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 apply as well. Finland makes a model of the label a mandatory part of the notification (Ruokavirasto guideline).
What do the health claim and novel food rules add?
Two limits. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, Article 10(1) says "health claims shall be prohibited unless they comply with the general requirements in Chapter II" and appear in the EU Register of authorised claims. A food not used for human consumption "to a significant degree within the Union before 15 May 1997" is a novel food needing authorisation (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283).
What does your product and market decide for you?
Where you sell decides the procedure, and where the supplement is made decides the Latvian fee. Selling only in Sweden needs no notification but a registered business. Estonia must be notified by the day of sale, Finland and Latvia before it. A product made outside the EEA costs EUR 210 or EUR 380 to register in Latvia.
| If | Then | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| You sell in several of the five countries | Follow each country's own procedure; Latvia, for example, still charges EUR 210 for a product made outside the EEA that is already notified in another EEA country | Directive 2002/46/EC, Article 10; Cabinet Regulation No. 1145 |
| Your supplement is made outside the EEA | Latvia charges EUR 380 for a first registration, or EUR 210 if it is already notified in an EEA country | Cabinet Regulation No. 1145 |
| You add a flavour or scent variant | Latvia charges EUR 35 for each additional supplement that differs in organoleptic properties | Cabinet Regulation No. 1145 |
| You change the product after notifying in Latvia | EUR 100 for form, pack size, daily dose or ingredients; EUR 50 for the label or accompanying information | Cabinet Regulation No. 1145 |
| The supplement is identical to one already in the Latvian register | PVD decides within 10 working days instead of one month | Cabinet Regulation No. 685, points 15 and 15.1 |
| You notify in Finland by post or email | EUR 136 instead of EUR 68 through the electronic service | Ruokavirasto fees |
| You sell only in Sweden | No notification; register the business with the municipality at least two weeks before it starts | Livsmedelsverket |
| You handle, make or repack supplements with animal ingredients in Sweden | Approval by Livsmedelsverket instead of a registration | Livsmedelsverket |
Which supplement manufacturers say they help with the regulatory work?
5 of the 68 food supplement manufacturers NordSourced lists in the five countries say on their own website that they help with notification, registration, EU regulatory work, documentation or label compliance. Their own sentence is in the table. In Estonia, the duty to notify still lies with the business that places the supplement on the market.
| Manufacturer | Country | Product groups | In its own words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitonordic Lab | Estonia | Cosmetics, Food supplements | “We support the preparation of a product for launch on the EU market: we take legal requirements into account and provide the necessary documentation for sale.” source |
| Formula.Lab | Lithuania | Cosmetics, Food supplements | “Saugumo, stabilumo ir veiksmingumo vertinimai pagal taikytinus ES reglamentus. Dokumentacija pagal ES reikalavimus.” source |
| GraSole | Lithuania | Food supplements | “Konsultuojame dėl etikečių ženklinimo pagal ES reikalavimus ir padedame notifikavimo procese.” source |
| Made Group | Lithuania | Food supplements | “Whether you need contract manufacturing for an existing formula, a private label launch from our library of 100+ ready formulas, or full custom formulation with EU regulatory support — Made Group is one manufacturing …” source |
| Vipis | Estonia | Food supplements, Cosmetics | “Pakume lahendusi teenustööna alates tootearendusest ja registreerimisest kuni lõpp tooteni.” source |
Ask which country's procedure the manufacturer knows, who files the notification and pays the fee, and whose name appears on the label. Other product groups are covered in manufacturers that help with the regulatory work.
Questions and answers
Do I need to notify a food supplement before selling it?
It depends on the country, because Directive 2002/46/EC only allows Member States to require notification (Article 10). Latvia requires it before sale and lists the product in a register; Estonia requires it no later than the day of sale; Finland requires it before sale. Sweden has no notification for ordinary supplements, but the business must be registered.
Who is legally responsible for a private label food supplement?
The business that places it on the market. Directive 2002/46/EC names the manufacturer or the person placing the product on the market for notification, and Estonia's food authority asks the one placing it on the market. For the label, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 makes the operator under whose name the food is marketed responsible, which for private label is the brand.
What may a food supplement label claim?
No disease claims: Article 6(2) of Directive 2002/46/EC bars attributing to a supplement the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease. Health claims are prohibited unless authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, Article 10(1). The EU Register lists all permitted nutrition claims and all authorised and non-authorised health claims; the rules have applied since 1 July 2007.
Which language must a food supplement label be in?
A language consumers easily understand. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Article 15(1), requires mandatory food information in such a language in the country where the food is sold, and Article 15(2) lets a Member State require one or more languages. Finland also needs a model of the label with the notification, so the label text must be ready before you notify.
How much does it cost to notify a supplement in Latvia?
The state fee is EUR 125 for a supplement made in the EEA, EUR 210 for one made outside the EEA that is already notified in an EEA country, and EUR 380 for a first registration of a non-EEA product. Each additional variant with a different flavour or scent costs EUR 35, under Cabinet Regulation No. 1145. The fee is paid before notifying.
How long does supplement notification take in Latvia, Estonia and Finland?
In Latvia, PVD decides within one month of receiving the notification, or within 10 working days for an identical product. In Estonia, a notice sent through the client portal enters the database automatically; one sent by post or email is entered in about one week. Finland's Food Authority does not state a processing time.
Is there an EU maximum level for vitamins and minerals in supplements?
Not according to the European Commission. Its food supplements page says it consulted widely and issued a discussion paper, but no proposal setting EU-wide maximum amounts has been presented, because of the complexity of the issue and divergent views. The page is undated. Annex I of the Directive lists the vitamins and minerals that may be added, Annex II the permitted sources.
Can I sell food supplements in Sweden without notifying anyone?
You do not notify the product, but you register the business. Livsmedelsverket states there is no notification procedure for placing food supplements on the Swedish market, and a new business selling them must register with the municipality at least two weeks before it starts. Handling, making or repacking supplements with animal ingredients needs approval by Livsmedelsverket.
Does a notification in Finland mean the authority approved my supplement?
No. The Finnish Food Authority's guideline says the notification should be made before the supplement is placed on the market and that receiving it is not an approval. The fee is EUR 68 through the electronic service or EUR 136 by post or email, and half is charged if processing is suspended for missing information.
What changed for food supplement rules in 2026?
In Latvia, Cabinet Regulation No. 685 on food supplements was last amended on 3 February 2026, and its current text applies from 5 February 2026. Sweden's Livsmedelsverket reviewed its supplement page on 24 August 2026 and still states there is no notification procedure. At EU level, the Commission's page still says no proposal for EU-wide maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals has been presented.
Will my supplement manufacturer handle the notification for me?
Some say so. 5 of the 68 supplement manufacturers NordSourced lists mention notification, registration, EU regulatory support, documentation or compliant labelling on their own website. The rules still address the business that places the product on the market: in Estonia that business must notify, and in Latvia the company submits the notification and pays the fee.
Which supplement manufacturers in the Baltics help with notification or other regulatory work?
5 manufacturers in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia say on their own website that they help with notification, registration, documentation or EU-compliant labelling: Fitonordic Lab, Formula.Lab, GraSole, Made Group, Vipis. Their exact sentences and links are in the table above. Ask each one which country's procedure it handles and who pays the state fee.
How many private label food supplement manufacturers are there in the Baltics and the Nordics?
NordSourced lists 68 food supplement manufacturers in the five countries whose own websites say they make products for other brands: Latvia 12, Lithuania 15, Estonia 19, Finland 10, Sweden 12. A company counts only if its website says it makes for other brands, so the real number of producers is higher. The ranked lists start from the supplement list.
Where to go next
Sources
- Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, Articles 2, 6 and 10 (revised version of 26 July 2017), EUR-Lex; the text was read on legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Food supplements, European Commission, DG SANTE. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Cabinet Regulation No. 685 of 1 December 2015, Requirements for food supplements, Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia, via likumi.lv. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Cabinet Regulation No. 1145 of 21 December 2010 on state fees of the Food and Veterinary Service, Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia, via likumi.lv. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Uztura bagātinātāji, Pārtikas un veterinārais dienests (Food and Veterinary Service of Latvia). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- VMVT order No. B1-22 of 16 January 2014 on the notification of food supplements, Register of Legal Acts of Lithuania (e-Seimas). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Toidulisandid, Põllumajandus- ja Toiduamet (Agriculture and Food Board of Estonia). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Guideline for submittal of food supplement notification, Ruokavirasto (Finnish Food Authority). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Food notifications: fees, Ruokavirasto (Finnish Food Authority). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Food supplements, Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Om vi vill sälja kosttillskott, vad ska vi tänka på?, Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, Article 10 (text as adopted), EUR-Lex; the as-adopted text was read on legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Nutrition and health claims, European Commission. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods, Article 3 (text as adopted), EUR-Lex; the as-adopted text was read on legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Novel food, European Commission. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Articles 8 and 15 (text as adopted), EUR-Lex; the as-adopted text was read on legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Directory figures are counted from the manufacturers listed on NordSourced, each listed because its own website says it makes products for other brands; see how we check. This page is general information, not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us.