Foods with nutrition and/or health claims

Food products often include nutrition claims such as “low energy”, “low fat”, “sugars‑free”, “source of fibre” etc. or health claims such as “calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones”, “iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue” or “vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system” etc.

European regulations 1924/2006 and 432/2012 establish the conditions for the use of nutrition and health claims on products, including imported products, to ensure a high level of consumer protection. In addition to labelling, these terms also apply to all forms of commercial communication such as web pages, leaflets, promotional campaigns, graphic representations etc.

Claims which suggest that health could be affected by not consuming the food, claims which make reference to the treatment or prevention of disease, the rate or amount of weight loss and claims which make reference to recommendations of individual doctors or health professionals are not allowed.

The decision to include nutrition and health claims on the lists of permitted claims is made by the European Commission on the basis of the advice of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and all relevant legal provisions of the European Union.