Consumer Consequences and False Security

Health supplements are booming. Pills, powders, and gummies promise to make us fitter, stronger, and younger – and the industry is worth billions. But a Follow the Money investigation by Irene van den Berg and Mathilde de Jeu uncovered that nearly half of these products carry claims that aren’t allowed under EU rules. Still, Nestlé, Unilever, and other food giants keep them on the shelves, exploiting loopholes and weak regulation. Meanwhile, they profit twice: first from unhealthy foods, then from the supplements that supposedly undo the damage.