The legal framework in Germany
Food supplements are foods in Germany. They go through no authorisation procedure like medicines; the business placing them on the market is itself responsible for safety and correct labelling. A notification to the federal consumer protection office is provided for.
Supervision is carried out by the food control authorities of the federal states, by sampling and on cause. The availability of a product therefore implies no official assessment of its efficacy.
Where consumers find reliable information
Independent points of reference are the consumer advice centres with their supplement portal, the federal institute for risk assessment for substance evaluations and maximum level recommendations, and the independent consumer testing foundation for comparative investigations.
These sources are funded independently of products. That is the essential difference from comparison portals paid through affiliate links.
Buying and returning at a distance
Online purchases normally carry a fourteen-day right of withdrawal from receipt of the goods. For sealed goods unsuitable for return on health protection grounds it can lapse once the seal is broken, which must be clearly stated in advance.
A complete legal notice with a real postal address in the EU, clear shipping costs and a final price including VAT are minimum requirements for a reputable seller.
Price indication and advertising
Where a price is reduced, the lowest price of the preceding thirty days must be indicated. A permanently struck-through reference price that never applied is not permitted.
Health-related advertising claims are permitted only where they appear on the EU list of authorised claims. Statements about pain relief, anti-inflammatory action or cartilage rebuilding are not among them.