UNITED KINGDOM — FSA, NOVEL FOODS & GB LABELLING
Great Britain now runs its own novel food authorisations, its own claims register, and its own labelling rules, while Northern Ireland continues to follow EU law. A single European dossier no longer covers both, and an EU authorisation does not travel to Great Britain on its own.
DIVERGENCE, IN PRACTICE
Two regulatory borders inside one country.
Food supplements sold in England, Scotland, and Wales are notified to the relevant authority, carry a GB address for the responsible food business, and may only use claims on the GB register. Product sold in Northern Ireland follows EU rules, including the EU claims register and EU novel food status. Brands that treat the UK as one market end up with a label that is non-compliant somewhere. Kompete decides early whether you need one label or two, and prices the difference honestly.
GB NOVEL FOODS
A separate authorisation, on a separate clock.
Any ingredient without a significant history of consumption in Great Britain before May 1997 needs a GB novel food authorisation, assessed by the Food Standards Agency with advice from its independent committee. The dossier covers identity, production process, compositional data, stability, intended use and intake, plus toxicological and allergenicity assessment. Where an EU authorisation exists, we reuse the science but rebuild the submission for the GB process.
THE GB COMPLIANCE SET
Four obligations before first sale.
A GB responsible business
A UK-established food business operator named on pack, registered with its local authority and answerable for the product.
GB claims register
Authorised wording only, at the conditions of use attached to each claim, with marketing copy and influencer briefs held to the same standard.
Labelling and allergens
Supplement-specific declarations, recommended daily portion, warnings against exceeding it, and allergen emphasis in the ingredient list.
Northern Ireland route
EU rules still apply, so an EU responsible party, EU claims, and EU novel food status decide whether one artwork can serve the whole island.
RETAIL & DUE DILIGENCE
Retailer audits are stricter than the law.
British grocers and pharmacy chains expect a technical file, a manufacturing certification they recognise, allergen and contaminant testing to defined limits, shelf-life data supported by real stability work, and a due-diligence trail that survives a supplier audit. Meeting the statutory minimum is not the same as being listed. We build the pack that gets you through both.
One label, or two? Answer that first.
We map your formula and claims against both the GB and EU positions, then tell you what a compliant British launch actually requires.