Until recently, the dietary supplements market in Ukraine resembled a ‘grey area’ with vague standards and minimal oversight. However, the country’s path towards European integration has radically changed the situation. Today, the placing of dietary supplements on the market is governed by clear rules harmonised with the EU, which guarantee consumer safety and transparency for businesses.
Let’s take a closer look at how the legislation has changed, what the notification procedure entails, and what requirements apply to market operators.
Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Basic Principles and Requirements for the Safety and Quality of Food Products’ have finally established a clear definition.
A dietary supplement is a food product consumed in small, specified quantities to supplement the normal diet. It is a concentrated source of nutrients (vitamins, minerals) or other substances with physiological effects.
Key features:
This distinction is crucial for both producers and consumers, bringing the Ukrainian market closer to the European model.
The state is moving from formal regulation to effective control over product composition. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has been granted the authority to approve and regularly update:
This means that the marketing of dietary supplements with questionable ingredients or dangerous dosages becomes impossible within the legal framework.
Instead of a complex and opaque licensing system, a notification mechanism has been introduced, which is in use within the European Union.
The market operator is required to notify the competent authority when a product is first placed on the market. All information is entered into a public register on the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection’s website. This ensures transparency: any consumer can check the legality of a food supplement.
Important: A transition period has been established for products placed on the market prior to the new amendments. These products may be sold until their expiry date, but for no longer than three years from the date the law comes into force.
The product registration process requires careful attention and adherence to deadlines.
The market operator must submit a notification to the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection no later than 10 days before sales commence.
The following must be submitted together with the notification:
The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has 10 working days to process the documents. The product is either entered into the register or returned for further processing. Sale is permitted only once the product has been added to the database.
A practical point to note: Although the law stipulates a 10-day period, the actual processing times often drag on for months. Businesses should take these delays into account when planning the launch of sales.
The successful launch of dietary supplements is impossible without compliance with strict requirements regarding the product itself:
The new legislation is helping to create a fair market where the rules of competition apply equally to all. To avoid fines and operational downtime, companies should take the following steps now:
Compliance with these requirements is not only a legal obligation, but also key to maintaining consumer trust in your brand.
