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E-commerce update: Amazon changes supplement policy; CRN publishes guidelines

Amazon has made changes to its dietary supplements policy for suppliers while, separately, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has published guidelines for e-commerce supplement players in the US.

Amazon wants third party verification

In the policy statement, Amazon said it required its suppliers to abide by its new policy. Referring to its compliance dashboard, the retailer asks that all supplement suppliers fulfill the new labeling regulations for online sales, and initiate a test with a third party TIC organisation to ensure full compliance.

The suppliers are requested to carefully follow the testing compliance dashboard and file their compliance accordingly. “Once we receive a test result that confirms compliance with our policy, your product will be eligible for sale on Amazon,” the statement reads.

“At this time, this policy applies to sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/body building dietary supplements. We continuously monitor regulatory and customer signals, and as a result are prioritizing these sub-categories of dietary supplements,” Amazon stated in response to questions from suppliers about the policy update.

Amazon move is likely to hit smaller brands harder

Amazon also ran a webinar to help suppliers navigate the new updates, and to answer questions on the subject. Recordings of the webinar are available by registering here.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic Amazon has risen to become the top supplements retailer in the US, overtaking the position of dominance that was once held by brick-and-mortar pharmacy and grocery chains like CVS, Walmart and Target.

While the measures have been welcomed by consumer protection groups, there is concern that smaller brands will be hit by the new policy as it means added compliance costs that could result in a significant financial impact.

CRN list of labelling and e-commerce shopper info requirements

The CRN’s voluntary guidelines for e-commerce supplement sales, published after Amazon's updates, aim to give consumers access to the same level of information about supplements as consumers get when buying products in brick-and-mortar locations.

The guidelines call for the supplier to make a number of details clearly visible for online retailers. Those details include the product name, a list of ingredients, a list of allergens, the net quantity of the content, dosing instructions, storage instructions and any necessary disclaimer from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).

The CRN guidelines align with draft guidelines that have been developed by the Codex Committee of Food Labelling, which is concerned with setting nutritional information for food and supplements on packaging labels.

Since the CRN guideline update was issued in mid-February, Amazon has said it supports the measures and has pledged to follow them. In response, it issued a statement acknowledging changes to its policy earlier this month.

The changes will impact three specific sub-categories of supplements and suppliers are obliged to fulfill the requirements by using third party verification to ensure that they are fully compliant.

“CRN and its members recognise that consumers planning to purchase a dietary supplement via online platforms should have access to the same information to read, review, compare and make a purchasing decision as if that person was standing in their neighbourhood store, able to hold the physical package and read its label,” said CRN senior vice president of international and regulatory affairs, Jim Griffiths, Ph.D.

“Choosing to purchase these products online should not decrease one’s ability to obtain product information to make buying decisions.”

CRN has asked that e-commerce retailers and brands comply with its new guidelines by 31 December 2024. While stressing that the guidelines are voluntary, it also strongly encourages its members to take the measures on board.