Legal Compliance – Online Sale of Vitamins via Website with Company Based in France
This report provides a detailed analysis of the legal, fiscal, and sanitary requirements applicable to the online sale of dietary supplements (vitamins) by a company formally established in France. The documentation assessed confirms the legal framework of the activity and serves as a basis for identifying essential obligations, such as product notification to the DGCCRF, compliance with labeling rules, and possible adherence to the VAT OSS scheme. The objective is to ensure full compliance of the operation with French and EU legislation, guaranteeing legal security, consumer confidence, and commercial viability in the European market.
Company Data
-
Company name: Pure Ativ
-
Legal representative: Henriques de Castro Pedro Filipe (EI)
-
Registered office: 1 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 06110 Le Cannet, France
-
Date: 03/06/2025
-
Business model: E-commerce (online sale) of dietary supplements/vitamins, shipping from France to EU countries.
Legal Constitution of the Company (France)
-
The company is registered in France as a Sole Proprietorship (EI) or under the microenterprise regime.
-
Holds a SIRET number issued by the French authorities.
-
Professional bank account opened in France (as per documentation provided).
-
Subject to French legislation for tax, commercial, and sanitary purposes.
Marketing of Food Supplements – Requirements in France
Mandatory product notification
All dietary supplements marketed from France must be notified to the Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes (DGCCRF) before being placed on the market.
DGCCRF is a French public authority under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, responsible for:
-
Ensuring fair competition between companies;
-
Protecting consumers;
-
Monitoring product and service compliance in the French market;
-
Investigating and sanctioning fraudulent or misleading practices, both commercial and sanitary.
For dietary supplements, DGCCRF is the competent authority to which all products must be notified before commercialization in France. This notification ensures:
-
Compliance of composition with French and EU legislation;
-
Validation of labeling in French;
-
Supervision of permitted nutritional and health claims.
When does it interact with your business?
If you sell vitamins or supplements:
-
You are required to notify DGCCRF before placing products on the French market (even if sales are online and only shipped abroad).
-
You may be subject to inspections, requests for technical documentation, or product sampling.
-
DGCCRF also acts in case of consumer complaints, misleading labeling, or unauthorized claims.
Useful links:
⚠️ This obligation applies even if the sale is made to other EU countries, as long as the product is shipped from France.
Documents required per product:
Labeling requirements
Product labeling must be in French and comply with French legislation, including:
-
Product name and category (e.g., “Complément alimentaire à base de…”).
-
Amount of each nutrient per recommended daily dose.
-
Mandatory warnings:
-
“Ne pas dépasser la dose recommandée”;
-
“Ne se substitue pas à une alimentation variée et équilibrée”;
-
“Tenir hors de portée des jeunes enfants”.
-
Expiry date and storage conditions.
-
Name and address of the responsible operator.
Sales to Other EU Countries
Free movement of goods
Products duly notified and legally marketed in France may be sold to other EU countries under the principle of the free movement of goods (Article 34 TFEU), provided that:
Label and information adaptation
For specific markets, it is recommended to:
