Stores to take vitamin battle to EU

IRISH health stores are going to the European Parliament with their battle to retain high dosages of vitamins and minerals on their shelves.

Under new legislation people will only be able to buy supplements across the counter up to the limit of the Recommended Daily Allowance deemed safe to take.

If they want to take larger amounts they will need a doctor’s prescription as the supplements are no longer considered a food, but a medicine from next year.

Jill Bell has taken a petition on the issue to the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee on behalf of the Irish Association of Health Stores where it is being hosted by independent MEP for Ireland South, Kathy Sinnott.

Ms Sinnott, who is vice chairwoman of the committee, said the allowed levels are only enough to keep away deficiency diseases but are not enough to contribute to good health or to enhance health.

“This petition represents the health food shops and people all over Ireland who take and rely on health food supplements in an age where there is a recognition of the de-nutrition of soils, pollution and too much processed foods, and where vitamins and minerals are more important than ever,” said Ms Sinnott.

The Irish Association of Health Stores, which represents 80% of such stores in Ireland, maintains that member states should be able to choose whether the decision of what level of supplements is appropriate is made by the national authorities, the consumers and/or the organisations concerned, to allow continued access to the supplements that have traditionally been sold in the member states.

“It is completely unacceptable that Irish and European legislation would deny citizens the right to protect their health with vitamins and minerals at the dose and form that they require.”

Various studies suggest many people taking supplements are doing so unnecessarily though some groups of people benefit from them.

The EU’s Food Supplement Directive was introduced in 2002 and sets maximum recommended daily consumption levels for all vitamin and mineral supplements and insists that manufacturers must provide data to gain safety approvals for their products. Those on sale before the legislation was introduced have until the end of 2009 to remove them or get approval.