Marketing dietary supplements in Hungary – what should you know before you plan your expansion?

Our Legal Partnership is often contacted by clients who intend to market new food supplements in Hungary.

However, in order to put a new food supplement on the market, a number of conditions has to be met, both in terms of ingredients and information marked on the packaging.

What ingredients can food supplements contain to be notified and then marketed in Hungary?

The relevant Hungarian regulation lists vitamins, minerals and compounds that can be used in food supplements.Moreover, OGYÉI (National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition) regularly publishes guidances, for example on the highest allowed levels of vitamins and minerals (UL values) and NRV (daily intake nutritional reference values) or on herbal ingredients that are not recommended for use in food supplements, like arnicas or ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata).

It is also recommended to look into the Novel Food Catalogue of the European Union before starting the notification process.

What information is needed to be marked on the packaging? What health claims are not allowed?

The above-mentioned Decree also specifies the warnings and information that are mandatory to mark on the packaging. For example, a warning that the product must be kept out of the reach of small children is necessary to be found on the packaging.

The Commission Regulation No. 432/2012 of the European Union establishes a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Only these claims can be indicated on the packaging of food supplements.