Label and packaging checks

What a UK supplement label should include

See how to read a shilajit product label for a full walkthrough.

Packaging checks

• Intact sealAn inner seal or tamper band that hasn’t been broken.
• Clean, consistent printingNo blurring, misspellings or mismatched fonts.
• Batch number on jar and boxMatching each other.
• Suitable containerA sealed jar that protects resin from moisture.

Compare with the brand’s own images

Before opening a new jar, compare it with the brand’s official product images and, if you have one, a previous genuine jar. Look at the logo, colours, layout and batch format. Differences don’t always mean a counterfeit, since packaging gets updated, but they are a reason to ask the brand; see counterfeit brands.

Label red flags

• No business name or UK addressUnclear who is responsible.
• No batch numberNothing to link the jar to a report.
• Disease or treatment claimsNot allowed for food supplements; see claims rules.
• Vague ingredients“Proprietary blend” without amounts.

What labels can’t tell you

A label is printed by whoever made the product, genuine or not, so it can’t prove that the contents are genuine or clean. It can show whether basic legal information is present and give you the batch number to check with the brand. The batch report and laboratory testing do the rest; see reading a COA.

A label matched to its batch evidence

During our Nature Elixirs evaluation, the jar we physically received carried batch SJ2509, which matched the AGROLAB LUFA report for that batch.^[3] That is the kind of link between label and laboratory evidence that a label check should lead to. Nature Elixirs is a brand evaluated by Best Shilajit UK. Read our evaluation to see the evidence and documentation we reviewed.

When your order arrives

1. Check the sealBefore opening.
2. Photograph the labelIncluding batch number and date mark.
3. Match the batchTo the published or requested report.
4. Store it correctlySee storage.

See checking your delivery.

Why the business name matters so much

The responsible business on the label is accountable under UK food law for the product it places on the market.^[2] If something goes wrong, that is who regulators and you can hold responsible. A label without a business name and address leaves you with no one to contact, which is why it is one of the most important things to check.

Claims on the label

Labels can carry only authorised health claims, and food supplements can’t claim to prevent, treat or cure disease.^[4][5] A label promising to cure erectile dysfunction or reverse ageing is breaking the rules, and a seller willing to do that may cut other corners too; see claims rules.

Take photos for your records

Photograph the label, batch number, date mark and seal when your order arrives. If questions arise later, those photos are useful for the seller, the brand or a report.

Putting it into practice

Each time a new jar arrives, take thirty seconds to check the seal, the business name, the batch number and the date mark, and photograph the label. Then match the batch number to the report before you open it. That routine catches the most common problems and gives you a record if anything needs following up later with the seller or brand.

Date marks and storage instructions

Check the best-before date and storage instructions on the label. A product close to its date may have been sitting in a warehouse; one stored against its instructions may have deteriorated. If the date seems inconsistent with the batch or the report, ask the brand to explain.

The bottom line

A label and packaging check takes a minute and catches obvious problems: missing legal information, broken seals, poor printing or no batch number. It can’t prove authenticity, but the batch number it gives you is the key to checking the product against its laboratory report.

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