In order to attract the attention of consumers, manufacturers and importers are beginning to actively conduct advertising campaigns, within which they create advertising slogans and videos to attract attention.

Let us recall that from July 11, 2024, remote sale of dietary supplements was allowed in Belarus. You can read more about it atlink.

Before you start advertising a dietary supplement, you need to check its registration. It is important that each batch must be accompanied by copies of documents confirming their quality and safety.

For example, for state registration of dietary supplements for the nutrition of athletes, a mandatory condition is the approval of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism on the advisability of their use in the nutrition of athletes.

When preparing any advertising video or picture, we recommend using the following sample checklist:

Posting information about dietary supplements	1. Name of dietary supplement; 2. Manufacturer's name; 3. Phrase – “this information is for advertising purposes”; 4. Indication that this is an advertisement for a dietary supplement, which is not a medicinal product and is not intended for the treatment of diseases; 5. Indication of the need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations for their use.
Presentation style	Understandable, without the use of special scientific terms, words and phrases that can be misleading
Disclaimer	The dietary supplement has medical contraindications for its use and undesirable or side effects with descriptions.
A few restrictions on what to avoid in advertising	1. Appeal to minors (for example, “ask your mom to buy it!”). 2. Statements or assumptions about the presence of certain conditions among consumers of advertising that require the use of the object of advertising, about medical indications for use, about medicinal properties, about the impact on the speed and degree of recovery of a person, or statements that create in a healthy person the impression of the need to use the object of advertising (for example, “you have a stuffy nose or you are sneezing, take vitamin C”, “to avoid getting the flu, take the Mg + Zn complex”, “one tablet in the morning and evening, and you will forget about migraines”). 3. You can receive financial incentives. The prohibition does not apply to discounts in case of purchasing the advertised item. 4. Add information on the label. The consumer label may contain advertising information, but to use it you need a letter from the State Institution “Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health”. 5. Information on the conduct of clinical or other studies (tests) and their results. 6. The dietary supplement is also effective or more effective than a similar dietary supplement. 7. “Dietary supplements can replace a balanced diet.” 8. “Additional constant use of dietary supplements requires adherence to a diet.” 9. “Dietary supplements can protect against the effects of adverse environmental and social factors, as well as psycho-emotional overload.” 10. “Using dietary supplements, you can quickly (more than 5 kg per month) reduce body weight, including excessively increased body weight in cases that, according to medical indications, require medical intervention.” 11. “The dietary supplement will restore lost or reduced (weakened) potency.” 12. Invent or embellish the properties of dietary supplements that are not confirmed in the manner prescribed by law.

After preparing the promotional material, it must be approved by the Ministry of Health. The period for such approval is 15 calendar days, but in the case of an examination - 1 month. The approval itself is free. To carry out approval, it is necessary to submit a paper application, samples of advertising materials, copies of documents confirming the accuracy of advertising, and samples of consumer packaging. The validity period of the agreement is 1 year.

* Multimedia advertising is presented on electronic media.

Once approved, advertising material cannot be changed. If, nevertheless, it was changed, then it should be remembered that for violation of advertising legislation, administrative liability is provided for under Art. 13.9 Code of Administrative Offences.

The fine for a legal entity ranges from 20 to 50 basic units (840.00 – 2100.00 Belarusian rubles).

Author:

Polina Sachava, senior lawyer, head of Tax Law practice

GRATA International, Belarus

Authors