Health-Related Content of TV and Radio Advertising of Dietary Supplements—Analysis of Legal Aspects after Introduction of Self-Regulation for Advertising of These Products in Poland

Regina Ewa Wierzejska, Agnieszka Wiosetek-Reske, Magdalena Siuba-Strzelińska and Barbara Wojda
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Regina Ewa Wierzejska: Department of Nutrition and Nutritional Value of Food, National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Wiosetek-Reske: The Institute of Health Sciences, Stefan Batory State University, Batorego St. 64C, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland
Magdalena Siuba-Strzelińska: National Center of Nutritional Education, National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
Barbara Wojda: Department of Nutrition and Nutritional Value of Food, National Institute of Public Health NIH—National Research Institute, Chocimska St. 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-15

Abstract: Dietary supplements may have beneficial value but, by definition, they have no therapeutic effect. However, their labeling and especially the advertisements in the media, often make ungrounded health claims. The aim of the study was to analyze the content of audio–visual advertisements of dietary supplements for health and legal aspects in the context of the European Law and the 1 January 2020 Polish self-regulation between TV broadcasting companies and supplement manufacturers. Supplement advertisements broadcast across six TV and radio stations from 9–15 March 2020 were analyzed. Most of the analyzed advertisements complied with the legal requirements and included terms such as ‘supports’ or ‘facilitates’ body function, which are less definite in nature. Almost 30% of the advertised supplements made unproven claims on their effectiveness in various health situations, e.g., effective weight loss, thus assuring the addressee about the beneficial effect of dietary supplements in a given health context. Agreement on the rules and regulations governing supplement advertising resulted in a noticeable improvement in advertisement content, which will hopefully raise consumer awareness about the absence of therapeutic properties of dietary supplements.

Keywords: dietary supplements; advertisements; consumer; health claims; legal regulations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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