In Great Britain, probiotics are sold as food supplements, so their labels follow the same core rules as any other supplement. That gives you a fixed set of items to check on every pack. This guide is a practical summary for shoppers and is not legal advice.
What must be on a probiotic label
A food supplement label in Great Britain should carry all of the following information. If any of it is missing, take that as a reason to look more closely at the product.
- The words "food supplement" as part of the product name
- The recommended daily dose and a warning not to exceed it
- A statement that supplements should not replace a varied diet
- A statement to keep the product out of the reach of young children
- An ingredients list, with allergens emphasised
- A best-before date, storage conditions and a batch code
- The name and address of the business responsible
Reading the strains and CFU
Strain names
Each culture should appear with its genus and species, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, ideally followed by a strain code made of letters or numbers. The code is the most precise part of the name, and it matters because research on one strain does not automatically apply to another strain of the same species.
The CFU count
The count should be given per daily serving, either for each strain or for the blend as a whole. Check whether it applies at manufacture or up to the best-before date, as the second is the more useful figure. Our guide to understanding CFU counts explains the difference.
Other ingredients
After the cultures you will find the capsule shell, gummy base or carrier powder, plus any added vitamins, minerals or prebiotic fibres such as inulin. This is where to check for gelatine, dairy, sugar or polyols if they matter to you.
Old and new strain names
Many species once grouped under Lactobacillus were renamed in 2020 to better reflect how they are related. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is now Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum is now Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Labels may use either name and some show both, so two products listing different names can contain the same species. Our probiotic strain guide covers the main groups you will see.
Which claims are allowed in Great Britain?
Health claims on food supplements must be authorised before they can be used, and no health claims are currently authorised for probiotics. A label should not state that the cultures treat, prevent or relieve any condition, or that they have a particular effect on the body.
You may still see authorised claims on a probiotic pack, such as "vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system". These relate to an added vitamin or mineral, not to the cultures, so read the claim carefully to see which ingredient it belongs to. Our page on judging probiotic quality covers other label wording worth questioning.
Why some packs avoid the word probiotic
Regulators have taken different views on whether the word probiotic on its own suggests a health benefit, and the position varies between markets. You may therefore see terms such as "live cultures" instead, which tells you nothing about the quality of the product.
How to spot implied claims
A claim does not have to be written as a full sentence. Product names, images and phrases placed close to the strain list can suggest an effect on the body without saying so directly, and the same rules apply to websites, listings and social media posts. A vitamin claim positioned so that it seems to describe the cultures can mislead in the same way. If a pack seems to promise more than the rules allow, see it as a red flag. Our guide to choosing a probiotic lists other warning signs to check for.
If you find wording on a label that you cannot make sense of, ask us a question and we will explain what it means.