Buying dietary supplements online
Dietary supplement are defined as foodstuffs intended to supplement a normal diet. Dietary supplements are subject to any legislation that applies to foodstuffs.When purchasing dietary supplements online, different rules apply depending on what you order and from where the goods are sent.
Dietary supplement – food or medicine?
It can be difficult to know whether your product is a food supplement (i.e. a foodstuff) or a medicine. A dietary supplement is a food product intended to supplement a normal diet and is subject to any legislation that applies to foodstuffs. If the product claims to prevent or treat illness, it is classified as a medicine, and special rules apply to ordering or bringing the product into Sweden.
Make sure that you inspect the commodity description on both the goods and the packaging. If you are uncertain about whether your goods are dietary supplements or medicinal products, please contact the Medical Products Agency prior to ordering the goods.
What is medicinal product? Swedish Medical Products Agency).
If it turns out that you have ordered dietary supplements that are classified as medicines, Swedish Customs may stop your goods from entering the country. You will then receive a decision from us stating how to proceed.
Special rules for dietary supplements
Special rules may apply if the dietary supplement contains animal or plant products. Contact the Swedish Board of Agriculture if you are unsure whether the contents of the product are permitted to be brought into Sweden.
If the dietary supplement is classified as a foodstuff and does not contain any animal or plant products, there are no special rules for bringing the product into the country.
Fees for dietary supplements purchased on line
If you purchase dietary supplements online from another country, you may incur additional fees in the form of customs duties, VAT and other taxes.
Fees for dietary supplements from an EU country
When you purchase dietary supplements online that are shipped from another EU country, you do not need to pay customs duties, VAT or other taxes.
Fees for online dietary supplements from a country outside the EU
When you buy dietary supplements online that are shipped from a country outside the EU, you must pay customs duties, VAT and possibly other taxes. For most dietary supplements, you pay 12.8% in customs duties and 12% in VAT. The rate customs duty may vary depending on what the product contains and which country it comes from.
To find out what applies to your product please contact us
Is the country part of the EU?
If you are unsure whether the country you are trading with is an EU Member State or not, you can see a list of all EU Member States or search for a specific country on the website of the EU.
Last updated:
What is updated: Quality assured