On November 3, the fraud repression (DGCCRF) alerted “still too many anomalies” in food supplements sold in France. “From drugstores to sports halls, including manufacturing laboratories, websites and retail stores, the 2023 controls revealed numerous anomalies”underlines the DGCCRF, which specifies that a third of the products were non-compliant.
Among the frauds noted: “numerous deceptive commercial practices”on products making therapeutic claims, which is prohibited. For example, a statement like: “Vitamin C has long been recognized for its anti-cancer effect” or even “Treatment of anemia”.
Also in the sights of the repression of fraud: claims which claim to reduce the effects of alcohol, those which refer to the importance of weight loss, or even claims evoking recommendations from health professionals, for example praising the effects of ginseng presented as an affirmation of “Mr..
Finally, the DGCCRF was interested in food supplements intended for children, some of which present a “ambiguous speech”, “suggesting that refraining from consuming the food supplement could be detrimental to the child’s health”. Moreover, 41% of the products analyzed intended for children presented a dose of vitamins lower than that announced by the brand and 27% higher doses.