Overview

• No German authority performs pre-market approval of dietary supplements before they reach store shelves.
• A Marktforschungsinstitut Zühlsdorf + Partner survey shows 77% of respondents take supplements regularly and 49% believe they undergo official safety testing.
• Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband expert Jochen Geilenkirchen warns that influencers on TikTok and Instagram push supplements with unverified health claims.
• The Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung advises that supplements are generally unnecessary except for groups like pregnant women or those with specific deficiencies.
• Consumer protection groups want the EU to mandate pre-market clearance and set maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in supplements.