Major retailers and online marketplaces are being criticized for promoting weight-loss supplements with misleading health claims, a consumer watchdog has revealed.
Which?, the UK consumer rights group, found evidence that Amazon, eBay, Holland & Barrett, Superdrug, and Temu were marketing supplements with “outlandish claims” without proper enforcement of existing regulations.
Under UK law, companies cannot make health claims about a product without scientific evidence. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) maintains a health claims register detailing what businesses are allowed to claim and the conditions for use.
Which? highlighted examples including Formula Max 5’s Extreme Burn supplements on eBay, which claimed raspberry fruit extract “assists the body to burn fat at a higher rate” and green coffee bean “decreases the absorption of carbohydrates.” Both claims have been rejected by the DHSC due to insufficient evidence.
The watchdog also noted that some products were miscategorized online. At Holland & Barrett, Acai Berry tablets appeared under a “fat burner” section despite making no such claims, while Superdrug listed a cinnamon supplement in its “appetite suppressant” category even though it made no weight-loss assertions.
Online marketplaces were also found promoting products with exaggerated promises, including targeting specific body areas or claiming effects comparable to prescription weight-loss treatments. For example, Temu listed a “keto fat burner” claiming users would “lose your belly fat fast while you shred your stomach,” and Amazon’s Gone Appetit supplement suggested users could lose centimetres from their waistline in four weeks.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) warns that products cannot claim how much weight someone will lose, from which body part, or suggest effects similar to prescription medicines. Nonetheless, Which? found a Pharmaslim product on eBay claiming to be “just as effective” as prescription weight-loss pills.
Which? reported its findings to retailers, resulting in over 50 misleading listings being removed. Sue Davies, head of consumer policy at Which?, said:“It’s 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 that just don’t live up to the claims. Better oversight is desperately needed.”
A Government spokesman added:“Food labels must be easy to understand, accurate, and honest. Any claims about the health benefits or nutritional value of supplements need to be backed by science and officially approved. Companies that break these rules may face enforcement action.”
Retailers responded to the findings: Amazon, eBay, Superdrug, and Temu confirmed they had removed flagged products. Holland & Barrett stated that the Acai Berry tablets have been reclassified to the “Superfood” category. Pharmaslim noted its product is a licensed food supplement and not a medicinal product, while Coolkin and other sellers reaffirmed compliance with certification standards.
The ASA emphasized that advertisements must not make unauthorized health, medical, or weight-loss claims, especially those suggesting effects similar to prescription-only medicines.
