News

12th March 2002

Conservative MEPs fight for free choice on vitamin supplements

Conservative MEPs are fighting for freedom of choice on health foods - especially vitamin supplements - in the European Parliament this week. MEPs will vote tomorrow (13/03) on a draft directive that will mean extra regulation of food supplements in Britain and threaten the continued availability of over 300 products currently on sale.

Conservative Health spokesman John Bowis said: "Although both the British Government and the major manufacturers have already thrown in the towel on this, we will continue to press for the proposal to be dropped and will be voting against it.

"Food supplements are much more readily available in Britain than in other countries of the European Union. There is no evidence that anyone in Britain has suffered through taking such supplements. We trust the probity of the manufacturer and the good sense of the customer. We don’t need more red tape.

"The directive will mean that over 300 products and the substances they contain would be subject to lengthy safety assessment behind closed doors in Brussels - at a cost of many thousands of pounds each. If they fail that – and some countries, notably Germany, are very restrictive about what they will allow through – then they would be off our shelves for good. This will bring distress to thousands of people in Britain and could put hundreds of health food shops out of business."