How to Read a Night-Time Supplement Label: A UK Buyer's Checklist

The front of a supplement pack tells you what the brand wants you to notice. The label helps you understand what you are actually buying.

Use this checklist to compare night-time supplements consistently before adding one to your routine. It is general information, not medical advice.

1. Check what the product is

For products placed on the market in Great Britain, government guidance says the label should describe the product as a food supplement, not a dietary supplement.

It should also identify the responsible business or importer and provide an address. Northern Ireland has different address requirements, so check the government guidance if that is where the product is being sold.

Read the government’s food-supplement labelling guidance.

2. Start with the recommended daily dose

Do not assume the amount shown most prominently is the amount in one capsule—or the total daily amount.

Check:

• how many capsules, tablets, gummies or measured servings make up the recommended daily dose;
• whether ingredient amounts are stated per unit or per recommended daily portion; and
• how many complete daily portions are in the pack.

For example, a bottle containing 60 capsules with directions to take two per day provides 30 daily portions, not 60.

Always follow the directions and do not exceed the stated recommended dose.

3. Read the complete ingredients list

Look beyond the ingredients highlighted on the front of the pack. The full list may also include the capsule shell, coating, flavourings, sweeteners, colours or bulking agents.

Ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight. That order does not tell you whether a product is more effective or better quality.

Regulated allergens must be emphasised within the ingredients list. Check this carefully even when a product carries a broader suitability statement elsewhere on the packaging. “Vegan”, for example, does not mean allergen-free.

4. Compare the stated amounts

For vitamins and minerals, look at both the absolute amount and the percentage Nutrient Reference Value (%NRV), where one is shown. NRV is a reference point; a higher percentage is not automatically better or more suitable for you.

Botanical ingredients may also state:

• the plant species;
• the plant part used;
• whether the ingredient is a powder or extract;
• an extract ratio; or
• a level of standardisation.

Extra detail can make labels easier to compare, but it does not by itself prove that one product is more effective.

5. Read the directions and warnings

A food-supplement label should state the recommended daily dose, warn against exceeding it and explain that supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet. It should also include appropriate storage information, including keeping the product out of the reach of young children, and a best-before or use-by date.

Read any product-specific suitability and warning statements before buying. Current government consumer guidance advises checking with a GP or healthcare professional before taking a supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take regular prescribed medication.

Read the government’s consumer guidance on food supplements.

6. Be cautious with dramatic promises

Food supplements are regulated as foods, not medicines. Marketing for them must not claim or imply that they can prevent, treat or cure a disease or medical condition.

Nutrition and health claims are regulated too. In Great Britain, an authorised claim must meet its conditions of use and stay attached to the relevant nutrient rather than becoming an exaggerated promise about the whole product.

If a promise sounds dramatic, pause and look for clear product information instead of relying on the headline alone.

Read the ASA and CAP guidance on disease prevention and treatment claims.

7. Calculate the real price per day

Bottle price alone does not give you a fair comparison.

Number of daily portions = total units in the pack ÷ units in the recommended daily dose

Delivered price per day = (product price + delivery) ÷ number of daily portions

Include delivery charges unless you already qualify for free delivery. A lower-priced bottle is not necessarily cheaper per day if its recommended daily dose uses more capsules or it contains fewer complete daily portions.

Your 60-second label checklist

Before buying, ask:

• Does it clearly say “food supplement”?
• Can I identify the responsible business?
• Is the recommended daily dose clear?
• Are amounts stated per capsule or per recommended daily portion?
• Can I see the complete ingredients and allergen information?
• Are the directions, warnings and storage instructions easy to find?
• How many daily portions does the pack contain?
• What is the delivered price per day?
• Are any claims factual and proportionate?

If important information is unclear, ask the seller before purchasing.

Apply the checklist

Want to put the checklist into practice? View the ingredients, directions and warnings for Peak Naturals Night Support.

Always read the label and follow its directions.