Meal replacement for weight control: authorised health claims in Great Britain

Short answer. There are 2 authorised health claims for Meal replacement for weight control on the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register (published 19 May 2026). Each can be used only if your product meets its conditions of use, and in its authorised wording or wording with the same meaning.

The authorised claims, word for word

Authorised claim	Conditions of use
Substituting one daily meal of an energy restricted diet with a meal replacement contributes to the maintenance of weight after weight loss	In order to bear the claim, a food should comply with the following requirements: 1. Energy content The energy content shall not be less than 200 kcal (840 kJ) and shall not exceed 250 kcal (1046 KJ) per meal.* 2. Fat content and composition The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of total available energy content of the product. The linoleic acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g. 3. Protein content and composition The protein contained in the food shall provide not less than 25 % and not more than 50% of the total energy content of the product. The chemical index of protein shall be equal to that set by the World Health Organization in ‘Energy and protein requirements’. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985 (WHO Technical Report Series, 724): Amino acid requirement pattern (g/100g protein) Cystine + methionine 1,7 Histidine 1,6 Isoleucine 1,3 Leucine 1,9 Lysine 1,6 Phenylalanine + tyrosine 1,9 Threonine 0,9 Tryptophan 0,5 Valine 1,3 The ‘chemical index’ shall mean the lowest of the ratios between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the reference protein. If the chemical index is lower than 100 % of the reference protein, the minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80 % of that of the reference protein. In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose. 4. Vitamins and minerals The food shall provide at least 30% of the amounts of the nutrient reference values of vitamins and minerals per meal as laid down in Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. This requirement does not apply to fluoride, chromium, chloride and molybdenum. The amount of sodium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 172,5 mg. The amount of potassium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 500 mg.** In order to bear the claim, information shall be provided to the consumer on the importance of maintaining an adequate daily fluid intake and on the fact that the products are useful for the intended use only as part of an energy-restricted diet and that other foodstuffs should be a necessary part of such diet.
Substituting two daily meals of an energy restricted diet with meal replacements contributes to weight loss	In order to bear the claim, a food should comply with the following requirements: 1. Energy content The energy content shall not be less than 200 kcal (840 kJ) and shall not exceed 250 kcal (1046 KJ) per meal.* 2. Fat content and composition The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of total available energy content of the product. The linoleic acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g. 3. Protein content and composition The protein contained in the food shall provide not less than 25 % and not more than 50% of the total energy content of the product. The chemical index of protein shall be equal to that set by the World Health Organization in ‘Energy and protein requirements’. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985 (WHO Technical Report Series, 724): Amino acid requirement pattern (g/100g protein) Cystine + methionine 1,7 Histidine 1,6 Isoleucine 1,3 Leucine 1,9 Lysine 1,6 Phenylalanine + tyrosine 1,9 Threonine 0,9 Tryptophan 0,5 Valine 1,3 The ‘chemical index’ shall mean the lowest of the ratios between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the reference protein. If the chemical index is lower than 100 % of the reference protein, the minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80 % of that of the reference protein. In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins, and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose. 4. Vitamins and minerals The food shall provide at least 30% of the amounts of the nutrient reference values of vitamins and minerals per meal as laid down Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. This requirement does not apply to fluoride, chromium, chloride and molybdenum. The amount of sodium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 172,5 mg. The amount of potassium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 500 mg.**

Authorised claim

Conditions of use

Substituting one daily meal of an energy restricted diet with a meal replacement contributes to the maintenance of weight after weight loss

In order to bear the claim, a food should comply with the following requirements: 1. Energy content The energy content shall not be less than 200 kcal (840 kJ) and shall not exceed 250 kcal (1046 KJ) per meal.* 2. Fat content and composition The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of total available energy content of the product. The linoleic acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g. 3. Protein content and composition The protein contained in the food shall provide not less than 25 % and not more than 50% of the total energy content of the product. The chemical index of protein shall be equal to that set by the World Health Organization in ‘Energy and protein requirements’. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985 (WHO Technical Report Series, 724): Amino acid requirement pattern (g/100g protein) Cystine + methionine 1,7 Histidine 1,6 Isoleucine 1,3 Leucine 1,9 Lysine 1,6 Phenylalanine + tyrosine 1,9 Threonine 0,9 Tryptophan 0,5 Valine 1,3 The ‘chemical index’ shall mean the lowest of the ratios between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the reference protein. If the chemical index is lower than 100 % of the reference protein, the minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80 % of that of the reference protein. In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose. 4. Vitamins and minerals The food shall provide at least 30% of the amounts of the nutrient reference values of vitamins and minerals per meal as laid down in Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. This requirement does not apply to fluoride, chromium, chloride and molybdenum. The amount of sodium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 172,5 mg. The amount of potassium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 500 mg.** In order to bear the claim, information shall be provided to the consumer on the importance of maintaining an adequate daily fluid intake and on the fact that the products are useful for the intended use only as part of an energy-restricted diet and that other foodstuffs should be a necessary part of such diet.

Substituting two daily meals of an energy restricted diet with meal replacements contributes to weight loss

In order to bear the claim, a food should comply with the following requirements: 1. Energy content The energy content shall not be less than 200 kcal (840 kJ) and shall not exceed 250 kcal (1046 KJ) per meal.* 2. Fat content and composition The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of total available energy content of the product. The linoleic acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g. 3. Protein content and composition The protein contained in the food shall provide not less than 25 % and not more than 50% of the total energy content of the product. The chemical index of protein shall be equal to that set by the World Health Organization in ‘Energy and protein requirements’. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985 (WHO Technical Report Series, 724): Amino acid requirement pattern (g/100g protein) Cystine + methionine 1,7 Histidine 1,6 Isoleucine 1,3 Leucine 1,9 Lysine 1,6 Phenylalanine + tyrosine 1,9 Threonine 0,9 Tryptophan 0,5 Valine 1,3 The ‘chemical index’ shall mean the lowest of the ratios between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the reference protein. If the chemical index is lower than 100 % of the reference protein, the minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80 % of that of the reference protein. In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins, and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose. 4. Vitamins and minerals The food shall provide at least 30% of the amounts of the nutrient reference values of vitamins and minerals per meal as laid down Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. This requirement does not apply to fluoride, chromium, chloride and molybdenum. The amount of sodium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 172,5 mg. The amount of potassium per meal provided by the food shall be at least 500 mg.**

The claims and conditions are copied from the register. Where the register contradicts itself and the correct reading is shown instead, our note beside the row says so. Check the register itself before you rely on a claim: it is updated from time to time.

Source

Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register, Department of Health and Social Care, published 19 May 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Not legal advice. Last updated: 1 November 2026.