Overview

The New Zealand food and dietary supplements market is an established yet dynamic market, focusing on product differentiation as its key growth strategy.. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is the statutory body in the New Zealand government health portfolio, which develops food standards for Australia and New Zealand. However, dietary supplements are regulated under the Dietary Supplements Regulations, 1985, which falls under the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Food Act, 2014. Medsafe is responsible for governing the dietary supplement regulations and the Food Act.

In New Zealand, dietary supplements are substance(s) for oral use that are packed in a controlled dosage form and are intended to supplement the intake of the substance(s) normally derived from food. Dietary supplements must comply with the Dietary Supplements Regulations, 1985. The regulations describe several requirements, including, but not limited to labeling and maximum permitted daily doses for several vitamins and minerals. There is no pre-approval process for dietary supplements. It remains the responsibility of the sponsor (the person legally responsible for placing the product on the market) to ensure that the quality of the product manufactured is of acceptable standards, it is safe to use, and it complies with the law.

Sponsor declarations are subject to audits in New Zealand. Medsafe reserves the right to request further details regarding manufacturing arrangements and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance of the product while it remains on the market. A verified sponsor declaration remains valid if all details of the declaration remain unchanged. If changes are planned, the sponsor must submit an updated declaration and receive verification, in advance, of supplying the product to the New Zealand market.

Freyr provides professional assistance with the classification of food products, novel food registration, label and claims review, ingredient analysis, and dietary supplement compliance.