Member Benefits

Here to support, advise, protect…

The HFMA’s network of experienced experts and advisers provides an invaluable service to the Association and its members.

Inform

Exclusive access to Member content

Bulletins: Frequent e-mail alerts and updates direct to your business
Website: Information-rich, password-protected Members’ section
Meetings: Technical & Regulatory Working Group meetings for first-hand expert comment, Special Interest meetings and networking
Webinars: CLEAR CHECK (COPY • LABELLING • EDUCATION • ADVERTISING • REGULATION) and current issues with internal and external experts
Networking seminars: on current industry themes
Media summaries around nutritional issues and natural health products
Research updates: highlighting key nutrition science advances and current thinking
Access: to the HFMA information-rich database, news and resources via the HFMA website

Mailouts and Bulletins

Education and Advice

Events: A regular programme of practical, educational events
Member rates with CLEAR CHECK whose specialized, and highly cost-effective service is Primary Authority-accredited

Representation

Regular dialogue, negotiation and relationships with:
- Legislators: Government, Parliamentarians
- Regulators: DHSC, DEFRA, FSA, MHRA, BEIS, MHRA
- Enforcement agencies: FSA, TSI, CAP/ASA, MHRA
Initiatives: other well-considered initiatives – legal opinions, legal action, public petitions etc. have been used to achieve member industry objectives

Services

Expert Advice: HFMA Advisers, Secretariat and CLEAR CHECK provide expert advice. See further details here and here.
On-demand Technical and Regulatory support with short queries by email, telephone or video call
CLEAR CHECK provide a label renewal service for longstanding members with a 20% reduction on member rates.
Discounted rates on CLEAR CHECK services
- Please note that Members have access to CLEAR CHECK at a reduced rate but have unrestricted access to some of the best technical, scientific, regulatory, and political advice within the industry, and through the HFMA you have access to our counterpart ‘sister’ trade associations in 13 other European countries.
All new members are credited two free hours with our CLEAR CHECK service. The team are highly valued by members and the industry, and hold webinars, seminars, workshops and ‘Special Interest’ working group meetings throughout the year. They can also provide personalised training.
Primary Authority: the HFMA’s members are part of a Coordinated PA Partnership with Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards.
- The Primary Authority Partnership enables us to seek Assured Advice for our members on issues of potentially problematic significance and, as part of an appropriate due diligence defence, a company is able to rely on the advice provided by its PA. We have already obtained the first three examples of Assured Advice, and being part of the Primary Authority Partnership provides our members with a protective ‘shield’ that they otherwise might not have.
- HFMA currently has six Assured Advice documents
  - Code of Advertising Practice – accreditation of CLEAR CHECK Service
  - Permitted additives for use in foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses
  - Continued use of the term ‘Nutrient Reference Value (NRV)
  - Code of Practice for maintaining quality throughout the supply chain for botanical food supplements
  - Consumer Guide to Labelling Nutrient Reference Values on Children’s Products in the UK
  - Clear Check Policy as part of a Due-Diligence Defence

Standards

The HFMA’s Code of Advertising Practice sets out the regulatory framework for specialist health products, and is administered by the HFMA’s Primary Authority-accredited CLEAR CHECK team
- The HFMA operates two codes of practice – for Labelling & Advertising and for the maintenance of quality throughout the botanicals supply chain – to ensure that member companies adhere to high standards and offer good quality, safe products to UK consumers
The HFMA also has Special Interest Groups for those member companies, for example the Collagen Special Interest Group and Probiotics Working Group.
- HFMA has publish a ‘HFMA Report on Collagen: 2023’ which was created by the Collagen Special Interest Group to set in place benchmark standards for manufacture, quality, testing and marketing to consumers. For more information, please email hfma@hfma.co.uk

HFMA Resources

Advisers: gold-standard Political and Public Affairs, Scientific, and Technical advisers in addition to the HFMA’s in-house expertise
Partnerships: The HFMA has membership or partnership alliances with the UK Herbal Forum, ESSNA (European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance); FPB (Forum of Private Business)
The HFMA is represented on the Business Expert Group (Food Standards and Labelling); the FSA’s Food Industry Liaison Group; and the food industry Non-Compliance Roundtable, and the UK Food& Drink Industry Roundtable
International: The HFMA is a very active member of its European federation, EHPM, and via EHPM of IADSA (International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations)

Regulatory and Issue Protection

Members are alerted if anything is raised by a regulator, or something is on the regulatory horizon. HFMA is often able to consult on issues.
HFMA UIC (Unfair and Illegal Competition) internal reporting system, whereby member companies are asked to bring concerns to us and in strictest confidence about other member companies, rather than approach the regulatory and enforcement authorities. We then try to resolve these issues internally
We can assist with issues such as ASA investigations and adjudications
We are diligent in checking and reviewing media messaging about natural products (positive and negative). We are often able to be a voice of reason and balance in an otherwise damaging story in the national media.

Membership Requirements

Members are required to ensure that their products, adverts and packaging are, and remain, fully compliant with all UK and EU regulations and comply with the recommendations given by CLEAR CHECK
HFMA members are required to conform to its Code of Advertising Practices and, where relevant, its Guidelines to Good Manufacturing Practice for Food Supplements
HFMA’s Code of Advertising Practice sets out the regulatory framework for specialist health products, and HFMA members are required to conform to its criteria. HFMA’s Code of Advertising Practice Administrators and its CLEAR CHECK service are there to assist you to do this to present your products to their maximum advantage within the law.
Companies who manufacture/distribute Foods, Foods Supplements, Herbal Remedies, Complementary Medicines, Homoeopathic remedies, Sports Nutrition Products, Natural Cosmetics or Aromatherapy products should include with their Membership Application examples of all current labels and website.
Prior to the submission of Membership Applications to the HFMA Council, this material is checked by HFMA’s Regulatory Advisors for compliance with its Code of Advertising Practices, and the application is presented to the HFMA Council at its next formal Council meeting.
HFMA Guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice for Food Supplements – All applicants for HFMA membership who manufacture relevant products must also agree to comply with the requirements of its Guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice for Food Supplements (similar compliance is required where some or all of the applicants’ products are contract-manufactured). A Checklist covering the essential components of the Guidelines is included on the Membership application.

CLEAR CHECK Services

Membership Fees

Subscriptions are fair, based on turnover, and the organisation is fully democratic. Each full member has one vote, regardless of size, and can stand for the Council comprising representatives from 12 member companies.

Please see the application from for fees

Please fill in this application form and a member of the team will be with you shortly

Become a member and enjoy exclusive benefits!

As a consultant to industry, the HFMA helps me with awareness of current industry issues, media coverage about natural health products and labelling requirements. The webinars are excellent, and it’s great to meet other industry peers at HFMA events.

Suzie Sawyer
Nutritionist, Industry consultant

The resources on the website are great for anyone wanting to learn about the industry and I find both the meetings and the mailouts are of great help to make sure we are kept up to date.

Noelia Rodrigo
Pharmacare Europe

HFMA provides fantastic Regulatory support and advice as well as great networking opportunities, which really benefit our business.

Alison Lambert
Thompson and Capper

Being a member of HFMA is very useful to Prinova because we receive up to date information on current and future issues affecting the industry. The team are very knowledgeable and provide us with expert advice which is invaluable.

Henrietta Sameke
Regulatory Affairs Manager, Prinova Europe