Premium” as a food supplement adjective?
In the world of food supplements, the search for excellence and quality, i.e. the search for a “premium” product, is a priority for companies and consumers.
Companies that manufacture these products often strive to highlight their products as the best, using terms such as “premium” to attract buyers. However, in recent times, there has been a change in regulation that prohibits the use of the word “premium” in the promotion of food supplements.
This change has come about in response to the need for greater transparency in the dietary supplement industry.
Is the word “premium” being used correctly?
For a long time, the term “premium” has become a fashionable label in the dietary supplement industry. Companies have used this word to suggest that their products are of the highest quality and offer superior health benefits.
Consumers, often influenced by these claims, have been willing to pay more for these “premium” products in the hope of exceptional results.
However, this poses a number of problems. First, the lack of a standardized definition of what constitutes a “premium” product has led to widespread confusion. What criteria must food supplements meet to deserve this title? The lack of a clear answer has allowed some companies to abuse the “premium” label to sell products of questionable quality at exorbitant prices.
The ban does not imply that high-quality products cannot continue to exist. In fact, this measure is expected to help promote fairer competition by preventing companies from using misleading labels.
Companies can still highlight the quality of their products through rigorous testing, sound scientific evidence and other more transparent promotional methods.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has agreed, through the Food Quality Coordination Board, that the term “premium” may not appear on the labeling and presentation of food products, except in very specific cases endorsed by the European Commission.
This agreement is based on Regulation 1169/2011 on food information provided to consumers, which states that food information must not mislead the consumer.
In this regard, the term “premium” is considered to be misleading to the consumer as to the quality of the product, since it is not precisely defined.
In the agreement adopted by the Food Quality Coordination Board, it is established that the term “premium” can only be used in very specific cases and endorsed by the European Commission. Specifically, two cases can be identified:
- Spirit drinks with ageing or maturation periods longer than those established in Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on the labeling of spirit drinks.
In this case, the use of the term “premium” is permitted to indicate that the spirit drink possesses specific characteristics in terms of quality, material value, production method or maturation period that differentiate it from spirit drinks meeting the minimum requirements of the same category.
For example, a brandy with a maturation period of at least 10 years could use the term “premium” to indicate that its quality is superior to that of a brandy with a maturation period of 5 years.
- Other food products that meet the requirements established by the European Commission.
In this case, the use of the term “premium” can only be authorized if the European Commission establishes the specific requirements that food products must meet in order to be able to use this term. This authorization will depend on the special characteristics of the product and will be applied in very specific cases and in a restrictive manner.
For example, the European Commission could establish that a food product can only use the term “premium” if it meets the following requirements:
- To be elaborated with high quality ingredients.
- To be produced using traditional production methods.
- To have an independent certification process.
In the event that the European Commission establishes other specific requirements for the use of the term “premium”, these requirements must be objective and verifiable. This will enable consumers to make informed decisions about the food products they buy.
In addition to the cases mentioned in the agreement adopted by the Food Quality Coordination Board, other cases could be identified in which the use of the term “premium” could be justified. For example, a food product could use the term “premium” to indicate that:
- It is handmade.
- It is made with locally sourced ingredients.
- It is seasonal.
In conclusion, the use of the term “premium” in the labeling and presentation of food products is subject to a series of restrictions. In general, this mention may only be used in very specific cases and endorsed by the European Commission. As the European Commission confirms the use of the word “premium” on some products, we will be able to specify what requirements are necessary to be able to use this word.
Our labeling experts can help you determine whether the use of the term “premium” is appropriate on a particular food product.