At the beginning of the year, the European Parliament once again emphatically called for a final assessment of the “botanical claims” provisionally tolerated in Europe.

Plants and plant preparations are “en vogue” in food supplements. While a list of tolerated botanical claims still exists in Europe, these claims are not permitted in Switzerland.

In its meeting on January 18, 2024, the European Parliament therefore once again emphatically instructed the European Commission and the Council to get their act together with regard to nutritional profiles and health claims on plants and herbal preparations in foods and food supplements, among other things. In particular, the major risk of misleading (young) consumers in the social media and the problem that products with herbal preparations are hardly distinguishable in their classification as medicinal products versus food supplements are pointed out. This also poses a risk for consumers, as their expectations may not be congruent with the effect. A Europe-wide harmonization is required.

In Switzerland, a clear distinction between herbal medicinal products and food supplements is required and monitored by the authorities. Claims relating to plants and herbal preparations are not permitted.

Claims on plants and plant preparations

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