Work through the nine questions using the brand’s website, its label and, where needed, an email. Count the green flags. A brand with red flags on testing or claims isn’t worth comparing further, however good the rest looks. This is the consumer version of the criteria we use on UK shilajit brands.
The nine questions
Scroll sideways to see the full table.| Question | Green flag | Red flag | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Who is the brand? | Registered business name and address on label and site[1] | Only a social media handle or email | Label, site footer, Companies House |
| 2. Where is it from? | Named region and supplier | “Himalayan” with nothing else | Ask by email |
| 3. Who processed it? | Named facility or described process | “Traditional methods” | Ask by email |
| 4. Which lab tested which batch? | Named lab, batch number matching the jar | No lab name, or no batch number | Compare COA with your label |
| 5. What did the tests find? | Numbers for metals and microbiology, with units and detection limits | “Pass” only, or fulvic acid only | COA checklist |
| 6. Is the lab credible? | Accredited for the tests reported[2][3] | Untraceable laboratory | Search the accreditation body’s register |
| 7. What is in each serving? | Shilajit mg per serving stated | Blend weight only | Ingredients panel |
| 8. What does it claim? | Factual, restrained wording | Disease, “boost” or “detox” claims[4] | Claims checked |
| 9. What happens if something is wrong? | Clear returns policy and contact route | No policy, or no response | Your rights |
Scoring the result
Checks you can only do by buying
Some questions can’t be answered from a website. If you buy, record these. Keep each one separate, because a smooth delivery says nothing about what is in the jar.
- FulfilmentDid the order arrive as described, and did delivery cost what checkout said?
- Product identityDoes the batch number on the jar match the COA the brand published?
- Packaging and labelIs it sealed, with the business name, batch number and date mark printed?
- Support and returnsIf you contact the brand, how quickly and clearly does it answer?
Consumer feedback is worth reading only when you know how it was collected: who was asked, when, whether they were incentivised, and whether negative responses are shown. We applied this checklist, including a purchase test, to the first brand we evaluated; see the Nature Elixirs evaluation.
What to ask by email
Questions 2, 3 and sometimes 4 can only be answered by the brand. Keep it short and specific:
- The COA for batch [number]Ask for the full report, including metals and microbiology.
- The region and supplier“Which region and supplier is batch [number] from?”
- The processing“How is the raw material extracted and dried, and is anything added?”
A ready-made version is on how to ask a brand for its COA. How quickly and fully a brand answers is useful evidence in itself.
Where reviews fit
Star ratings and testimonials can tell you about delivery and taste. They can’t answer any of the nine questions, and they are easy to filter or incentivise. Read them last. See how to judge customer reviews and how to evaluate a review.
Common questions
What if a brand refuses to share its COA?
Treat that as a red flag on questions 4 and 5. A brand confident in its testing has no reason to withhold it.
Does a big brand mean a transparent brand?
No. Size and advertising spend don’t predict documentation. Run the same checklist on every brand.
Do you publish your own brand scores?
Brand evaluations appear on the UK brands hub once complete, and market-wide findings on the brand transparency index.
Sources & further reading
Primary research, regulators and standards bodies are cited first. A source being listed here does not mean it supports every claim made by sellers; it supports the specific statement it is attached to.
- Food Standards Agency. Food supplements: business guidance. food.gov.uk. View source (opens in a new tab) [Regulator guidance]
- ISO/IEC. ISO/IEC 17025:2017 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. iso.org, 2017. View source (opens in a new tab) [International standard]
- Department for Business and Trade. Status of conformity assessment bodies after Brexit. GOV.UK. View source (opens in a new tab) [Government guidance]
- Committee of Advertising Practice. UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising (CAP Code), Section 15: Food, food supplements and associated health or nutritional claims. asa.org.uk. View source (opens in a new tab) [Advertising code]