,"On 27 October, the Inspection Board for the Promotion of Health Products (Keuringsraad) in the Netherlands issued an official clarification outlining stricter rules for the use of the term “probiotics” on food supplement packaging and marketing materials.
Under the updated guidance, the term “probiotics” can no longer be used as a product name, meaning names such as “Probiotics Plus” will be considered health claims and are therefore prohibited. The Keuringsraad also confirmed that the term cannot be used in advertising, promotional campaigns, social media posts, or other commercial communications, even when used only as a category descriptor.
A narrow exception has been made for online retail platforms: the term “probiotics” is permitted within a website’s search function, allowing consumers to find relevant products without the term being considered a health claim.
The term may still be used solely as a neutral category designation to describe products containing live microorganisms. However, strict conditions apply:
Single use rule: The term “probiotics” may appear only once on the packaging. Any repetition is considered an implicit health claim and is not permitted.
Secondary placement: The term must be clearly subordinate to the product name and any authorised claims, ensuring it does not imply any unapproved health benefit.
These clarifications reinforce the Netherlands' alignment with EU health claim regulations, preventing companies from implying unapproved benefits related to probiotic-containing supplements."
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