Your label is the first thing a customer reads and the first thing a regulator checks. For D2C founders, getting supplement label requirements in India right is not just about design. FSSAI expects specific statements on health supplements and nutraceuticals, and a missing line can mean reprinting every pack, delayed marketplace listings or worse. The good news is that the rules follow a clear logic, and once you know them you can design a label that is both compliant and on-brand.

This guide gives you a practical FSSAI labelling checklist for supplements, the claims you can and cannot make, and the mistakes founders make most often.

This is general guidance for founders, not legal advice. FSSAI updates its regulations from time to time, so confirm the current requirements on the FSSAI website before you print.

Two sets of rules apply to your label

• General food labelling rules that apply to all packaged foods, such as product name, ingredients, net quantity, dates, batch number, FSSAI licence number and business details.
• Specific rules for health supplements and nutraceuticals, which add mandatory statements, advisories and nutrient declarations.

Your label must satisfy both. For the licence side of compliance, read our guide to the FSSAI license for nutraceuticals.

Supplement label checklist

Product identity

• The product name and brand name
• The category declared clearly, for example “HEALTH SUPPLEMENT” or “NUTRACEUTICAL“, as applicable to your product
• Veg or non-veg symbol, as applicable

Mandatory advisories for health supplements

• “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE“, displayed prominently
• A warning not to exceed the recommended daily usage
• A statement that the product is not to be used as a substitute for a varied diet
• A warning to store the product out of reach of children
• The target consumer group or age group
• Any known side effects, contraindications or interactions, where applicable

Composition and nutrition

• A full list of ingredients
• The quantity of each nutrient or active ingredient per serving
• Nutrients shown as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), where applicable
• Allergen declarations, where applicable

Usage

• Recommended serving size and daily usage
• Duration of use, where applicable
• Storage instructions

Business and batch details

• FSSAI licence numbers, including the manufacturer’s and, where applicable, the marketer’s
• Names and addresses of the manufacturer and the marketer
• Batch or lot number, date of manufacture and “best before” or expiry date
• Net quantity, MRP and consumer care details

What goes on the front and back of your pack

Check the current regulations for any statements that must appear on a specific panel or in a minimum size, especially for small packs where space is tight.

Claims: what you can and cannot say

Remember that the same claim rules apply to your website, marketplace listings, social media and influencer content, not just the pack.

Design tips that keep you compliant and on-brand

1. Plan space early. Mandatory statements take room. Design the back panel first, then the front.
2. Make advisories genuinely prominent. Small grey text on a busy background can be treated as not prominent.
3. Use one master artwork per product and track every version, so the printed label always matches the approved formula.
4. Finalise the formula before the label. Every change to ingredients or quantities changes the label.
5. Have your manufacturer review the artwork against the final formula before printing.

A simple pre-print approval workflow

1. Lock the formula. Confirm the final ingredients, quantities and serving size with your manufacturer.
2. Draft the back panel first, with every mandatory detail, advisory and nutrient value.
3. Design the front panel around the space left, keeping claims within what is permitted.
4. Get a compliance review from your manufacturer and, for new claims, a regulatory adviser.
5. Print a proof and check it at actual size for readability and prominence.
6. Approve one master version and archive it with the formula version it matches.

This workflow takes a few extra days but prevents the most expensive labelling mistake: printing thousands of non-compliant packs.

Common labelling mistakes

• Missing “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE” or the daily-usage warning
• Nutrient quantities that don’t match the final formula
• Only the manufacturer’s details shown, without the marketer’s
• Disease claims on the front of pack or in listing images
• Printing large quantities of labels before the artwork is checked

New to launching? Start with our step-by-step guide on how to start a supplement brand in India.

How MAC Biosciences helps

MAC Biosciences holds a Central FSSAI licence and is GMP, WHO-GMP and ISO certified. As your manufacturing partner, we review your label artwork against the final formula before production and supply the manufacturer details your label needs. With 300+ formulations and typical delivery within 30 to 40 days of formula and artwork approval, we help D2C founders launch compliant products quickly. Learn more about our nutraceutical manufacturing in India.

Frequently asked questions

Is “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE” mandatory on supplement labels in India?

Yes, for health supplements. FSSAI’s rules require this advisory to be displayed prominently, along with other statements such as the warning not to exceed the recommended daily usage. Check the current regulations for the exact wording that applies to your product category.

Do I need to show both the manufacturer’s and the marketer’s details?

Yes. If a manufacturer makes your product, the label should show the manufacturer’s and the marketer’s names and addresses, along with the applicable FSSAI licence numbers.

Can I say my supplement boosts immunity?

General health claims like “supports immunity” may be acceptable only where permitted under FSSAI rules and backed by evidence. Claims that a product treats, cures or prevents a disease are not allowed. Review claims carefully before printing.

Do labelling rules apply to Amazon and website listings?

Yes. The claims you make online must follow the same rules as your physical label. Marketplaces also check labels and may reject listings that are incomplete or make prohibited claims.

What should I check before printing supplement labels?

Check that every mandatory statement and advisory is present and prominent, that the nutrient quantities match the final formula, that both manufacturer and marketer details and licence numbers are correct, and that no claim suggests treating or curing a disease. Print a proof at actual size before approving a full print run.

Do small packs have to carry all the same information?

Small packs still need the mandatory details, though some regulations allow specific relaxations for very small packages. Plan your pack size and label layout together, and confirm any small-pack provisions in the current FSSAI labelling regulations before finalising.

Need help with your label?

Share your product idea and draft artwork, and our team will review it against your formula before production. Book a consultation with MAC Biosciences.