Food-law

The boundary between food, dietary supplement, and medicine is legally defined but frequently blurred in consumer marketing. Understanding where a product sits in this classification determines what evidence it must have, what claims it can legally make, and what recourse exists if it causes harm. This article covers the classification boundaries, borderline products, and what the distinctions mean in practice.

The term 'dietary supplement' has a specific legal definition under UK and EU food law that determines what claims manufacturers can make, what safety requirements apply, and how products should be labelled. This article explains the legal definition, how it differs from food and medicines, what the regulatory framework means for consumers, and how to evaluate supplement claims against an evidence standard.