Back in January (at the height of the weight loss 'season') we wrote an article questioning raspberry ketones as a weight loss supplement. For the last year raspberry ketones had been slowly building up a following as the new 'miracle' weight loss product but of course there is no such thing!
A decision backed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA)
A few weeks ago our opinions on the unethical sale of raspberry ketones was confirmed when the FSA ruled there was no evidence backing the use of raspberry ketones as a weight loss supplement and classified it as a 'novel food'. This means the sale of the product within the EU is not authorised without a successful application to the FSA - the application process applies all necessary checks to ensure the supplement is safe for human use and is only marketed in a responsible way.
Raspberry ketones continue to be available illegally
The FSA have confirmed that raspberry ketones are still available to purchase in the UK and other areas of the EU despite their ruling against its sale.
The responsibility for removing these items from sale in the UK lies with local trading standards officers but departments employing these individuals are often under resourced. A further complication regarding regulation of the sale of raspberry ketones is their availability for purchase on websites not always located in the UK, therefore governance is complicated.
Does your favoured supplement retailer have a responsible attitude?
In the food supplement industry fads are inevitable, you will see products come and go, feeding off media storms claiming them to be 'the next best miracle health product'. This allows for quick exploitation by companies seeking to make an easy profit by selling supplements before adequate research has been conducted in to their efficacy.
Just Vitamins always carefully source its supplements from high quality and ethical suppliers, for instance our fish oils and krill oils are all sustainably sourced therefore do not impact on natural fish stocks. As we are based in the UK as opposed to somewhere such as the Channel Islands and we sell to the UK, we are bound and comply to strict UK regulations on the ethical sale of our supplements. We whole heartedly uphold and support the guidelines underpinning this legislation, particularly those that stipulate supplements cannot be advertised in a misleading way e.g. "raspberry ketones can help you lose weight" - if not sufficiently backed up this is misleading and unethical. We are proud to be a retailer you can trust.
Is your supplement retailer still selling raspberry ketones?
You may have noticed that since the start of the 2014 there have been a lot of retailers selling raspberry ketones on 'sale' or with 'big savings'. This may of course be an effort to offer customers a good deal but you may want to consider the fact that they were trying to sell their stocks before the inevitable ruling by the FSA was made!
If your favourite retailer is still or was selling raspberry ketones after the 20th March 2014 then you must question their ethical approach - you may want to ask yourself if you can trust their choice in the supplements they sell?
A healthy balanced diet is the best way to consume all the nutrients we need. Sometimes however this isn't possible and then supplements can help. This article isn't intended to replace medical advice. Please consult your healthcare professional before trying any supplements or herbal medicines.