Superdrug and Holland & Barrett have been named in an investigation into brands and retailers making “misleading” weight loss claims about food supplements.
Consumer watchdog Which? said last week that the health retailers, along with online shopping giant Amazon, had “signposting on their websites for ‘fat burners’ and ‘appetite suppressants’”.
“These categories included supplements without any ingredients that justify these claims, and in some instances, there were no claims made by the product at all,” it added.
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Which? said that Holland & Barrett’s Acai Berry tablets were listed in the “fat burner” section of the retailer’s website, despite the page and packaging for the product making “no claims of any kind”.
“We feel this suggests to consumers effects the products won’t have,” it added.
It also noted that the “appetite suppressant” section of Superdrug’s website included a cinnamon supplement that “makes no claims to impact appetite”.
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“There are no approved or on-hold claims that cinnamon suppresses appetite”, the watchdog added.
In the UK, a business can only advertise its product with a specific claim if it is on either the approved list of claims relating to specific ingredients or the “on hold” register.
“On hold” claims are those that are yet to be approved or rejected by the government, but can still be used if the brand can provide high-quality evidence to justify the claim.
Retailers respond
Holland & Barrett said following a review, its Acai Berry tablets “now sit within” its superfood category, while its Matcha Green Tea product “can be found in the weight management category.”
It told Which? it is “committed to providing high-quality, science-backed products that reflect the latest guidance”.
“Product categorisation is intended to support customers to navigate our website, and we regularly carry out detailed reviews led by our science and regulatory teams to ensure this is consistent and helpful,” it added.
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Superdrug told Which? its “customers’ health and wellbeing is always a priority” and that Superdrug Marketplace “is a curated platform where third-party sellers must adhere to strict listing guidelines, including alignment with UK health authority recommendations”.
“We do not intend to make unjustified health claims, and any categorisation on our website is designed to help customers navigate products rather than imply specific health outcomes,” it said.
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The retailer added that “upon being made aware of Which?’s findings” it had “paused all retailing of the highlighted product”.
“We have also reviewed the category in question, and will take further action where necessary to ensure our content remains compliant and clear for customers,” it said.
“Really worrying”
Which? head of food policy Sue Davies said it is “really worrying that online marketplaces and popular health retailers are promoting misleading health supplements”.
“Not only does this make it impossible for shoppers to trust the claims they see online, but it also means people could be wasting their hard-earned cash on products which just don’t live up to the claims,” she added.
“Better oversight of the industry is desperately needed so the government and regulators can crack down on these misleading listings and ensure any sellers who break the rules are properly held to account”.
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It comes after a health watchdog warned that patients are being “forced” to go private for weight loss jabs due to difficulties accessing them on the NHS.
Healthwatch said people in England are facing a “postcode lottery” when it comes to getting NHS-funded weight loss drugs, and some are “making big financial sacrifices” to afford their private prescriptions.
