06.30.22
Natural products manufacturer NOW continues to urge Amazon to take action against sellers of dietary supplements that mislead consumers about product quality.
Following a series of tests on supplements available on Amazon’s platform, NOW has discovered a new tactic: a brand posting Certificates of Analysis from a third-party testing lab on their website confirming fill weight—not identity, potency, or purity; just that the weight of the capsule meets specifications. A document like this is misleading to the average consumer who is unlikely to know that weight along does not distinguish identity, potency or purity, NOW noted.
“I think many of us had hoped that Amazon would institute safeguards that would marginalize companies engaging in this type of behavior,” said Dan Richard, NOW’s vice president of global sales and marketing. “My wish is for Amazon to be very specific in their documentation requirements, be fully transparent with their rules, and enforce them for all brands selling on their platform.”
NOW has previously released many reports proving quality failings in lesser-known supplement brands purchased on Amazon. Since then, Amazon has instituted stronger requirements for dietary supplement sellers, but this Co A trick is yet more evidence, NOW said, that those brands are just finding other ways to mislead consumers.
NOW has shared this information with Amazon directly.
Following a series of tests on supplements available on Amazon’s platform, NOW has discovered a new tactic: a brand posting Certificates of Analysis from a third-party testing lab on their website confirming fill weight—not identity, potency, or purity; just that the weight of the capsule meets specifications. A document like this is misleading to the average consumer who is unlikely to know that weight along does not distinguish identity, potency or purity, NOW noted.
“I think many of us had hoped that Amazon would institute safeguards that would marginalize companies engaging in this type of behavior,” said Dan Richard, NOW’s vice president of global sales and marketing. “My wish is for Amazon to be very specific in their documentation requirements, be fully transparent with their rules, and enforce them for all brands selling on their platform.”
NOW has previously released many reports proving quality failings in lesser-known supplement brands purchased on Amazon. Since then, Amazon has instituted stronger requirements for dietary supplement sellers, but this Co A trick is yet more evidence, NOW said, that those brands are just finding other ways to mislead consumers.
NOW has shared this information with Amazon directly.
