Major retailers and online marketplaces are making “outlandish claims” to market weight-loss supplements, according to consumer watchdog Which?. The organisation found evidence of misleading advertising on platforms including Amazon, eBay, Holland & Barrett, Superdrug and Temu.
One example highlighted is Extreme Burn supplements by Formula Max 5 on eBay, which claimed raspberry fruit extract “assists the body to burn fat at a higher rate” and green coffee bean “decreases the absorption of carbohydrates”. However, experts say there is little evidence to support such claims. The health claims register, held by the Department of Health and Social Care, has rejected numerous weight loss claims for raspberry extract and green coffee bean due to a lack of compelling evidence.
Which? also found product categories for “fat burners” and “appetite suppressants” on Holland & Barrett and Superdrug websites, even though some products in those categories made no weight loss claims. On Temu, products claimed to target fat loss in specific body areas, which breaches advertising regulations. The Advertising Standards Authority prohibits claims about how much weight customers can lose, how quickly, or from which body part.
Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson warned that at best these ingredients may have minor metabolic effects, and at worst they risk misleading people into thinking supplements can replace proven approaches like diet quality and energy balance. Which? reported its findings to the retailers, leading to more than 50 misleading listings being removed.
A Government spokesman stated that any health claims must be backed by science and officially approved, with companies breaking rules subject to enforcement action. Amazon, eBay and Temu said they have reviewed and removed the highlighted products. Holland & Barrett has moved products to a “superfood category”, while Superdrug paused retailing of the highlighted product and is reviewing its category.
