William MacDougall, your Conservative candidate, wins praise from Vitamins campaigners 10/04/05

Local Conservative candidate William MacDougall was praised today for supporting the renegotiation of an EU directive that will see thousands of vitamin & mineral supplements banned from July this year.

Local health campaigners and the lobby group Consumers for Health Choice (CHC) thanked William MacDougall today for supporting millions of consumers nation-wide by pledging to work towards the renegotiation of the Food Supplements Directive if elected to Parliament.  William MacDougall also agreed to write to the Prime Minister, demanding action to save vitamin and mineral supplements before it is too late.

Consumers have been campaigning against the Directive for a number of years and it is fast becoming an election issue.  CHC is determined to keep up the pressure on Government and has called on supplement users to take their local candidates’ positions on the issue into account when deciding how to vote on May 5.

Sue Croft, Director of Consumers for Health Choice said: “This is a malicious piece of legislation causing great harm to consumers by restricting the way we look after our health.  Government negotiations on behalf of the public were at best half hearted and have shown a distinct lack of interest and understanding.  This directive will affect the everyday lives of millions of consumers, and MPs have a duty to represent the concerns of their constituents.  We encourage all those users of vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies to vote for a candidate who truly represents their interests and is prepared to challenge this Directive.”

The Food Supplements Directive is due to be introduced into UK law on 1^st August this year.  It contains a list of permitted nutrients and nutrient sources that may be used in supplements.  At present there are over 300 safe and popular nutrients and nutrient sources on sale in the UK that are not on the permitted list.  Unless weighty safety dossiers are submitted and approved for each, they will no longer be available for sale.  This will affect around 5,000 products and will hit small retailers and producers as well as consumers.

ENDS.