Do you need a licence or anything to sell sports supplements etc.

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Does anyone know if there is a difference legally in retailing sports nutrition / vitamins etc. as opposed to retailing any other type of physical goods.

I know it may vary from country to country, but how do you confirm this?

Thanks.
#licence #sell #sports #supplements
  • Profile picture of the author Importexport
    Originally Posted by Byron2k12 View Post

    Does anyone know if there is a difference legally in retailing sports nutrition / vitamins etc. as opposed to retailing any other type of physical goods.

    I know it may vary from country to country, but how do you confirm this?

    Thanks.
    Hi Byron,

    Provided they are legal in Ireland, you will not need a licence to sell them. They are regarded as food supplements.

    Some supplements that are quite legal in the USA are illegal imports in other countries. DHEA is one example. A few US suppliers will attempt to send them in disguise. Instead of packing in bottles they pack the capsules between sheets of cardboard.

    That is a silly game to play and can lead to serious consequences. They will be detected sooner or later.

    My advice would be to check with The Irish Medicines Board and ask them specifically if the supplements you intend importing are subject to restrictions. There are many that are obviously not subject to restrictions and you may choose to only ask about ones that you are not certain about, such as DHEA.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

      Hi Byron,

      Provided they are legal in Ireland, you will not need a licence to sell them. They are regarded as food supplements.

      Some supplements that are quite legal in the USA are illegal imports in other countries. DHEA is one example. A few US suppliers will attempt to send them in disguise. Instead of packing in bottles they pack the capsules between sheets of cardboard.

      That is a silly game to play and can lead to serious consequences. They will be detected sooner or later.

      My advice would be to check with The Irish Medicines Board and ask them specifically if the supplements you intend importing are subject to restrictions. There are many that are obviously not subject to restrictions and you may choose to only ask about ones that you are not certain about, such as DHEA.
      Surely ReferralCandy only read the OP and not my reply.

      I was running an importing business for 22 years before retirement, and have had direct experience in importing supplements. I think my reply as quoted above shows that, because I know the tricks that some suppliers try.

      You do not need a lawyer to advise on something as simple as this. As I suggested, the Irish Medical Board will advise you and their advice is free and absolutely trustworthy.

      For the sake of others in other countries who may want an answer on this subject, you will find that the relevant pharmaceutical regulations authority in your country will answer your questions.

      In the UK contact Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency They have a number of articles online regarding sports supplements.

      In the USA, the FDA U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page have a Q&A section dealing with Dietary supplements.

      Hope this helps. I can supply contact sites for a number of other countries if anyone needs them.
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      Use emotions and perceptions to build a great brand. Ask me about my book LabelsThatExploit. For safe sourcing and easy importing from 41 countries globally, see https://provenglobalsourcing.com
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  • Profile picture of the author ReferralCandy
    Interesting question, I've never thought about this. Curious to hear from anybody else who has experience in this.

    Here's what I think will happen- if it's legal in your country, you can ship it out. If it's not legal elsewhere, though, it may get stopped at customs.

    Do NOT trust me on this, though, I am not a lawyer. Please do careful research before getting involved in anything like this.
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