What Are the Influencer Advertising Rules in the EU and UK (2026)

Regulated markets · Advertising rules EU & UK

A plain-English guide to what you can and can't say across supplements, cosmetics, functional food and wellness products. Covers all 27 EU countries and the UK. June 2026. Numbers in brackets [n] point to the source list at the end.

The big idea: In Europe, the law controls what you are allowed to SAY about a product, not how much you spend. A statement can be 100% true and still be illegal if it isn't on an approved list [1][2]. So every campaign starts with one question, "which claims are allowed for this exact product?", and the creative is built around that answer.

1. The rules that apply everywhere in Europe

• Only approved health claims. You may only say a product helps health using wording approved on the EU register, e.g. "Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue" or "Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system." Your own punchier version is usually not allowed [1][2][3].
• No misleading. Nothing in an ad may mislead about what a product does, and food may never claim to treat, prevent or cure illness [4].
• Ads must look like ads. Any paid post, gift, free trip, affiliate link or discount code must be clearly disclosed up front. Just tagging the brand is not enough [5]. Online platforms must also let creators flag content as advertising [6].
• Cosmetics have their own rule. Beauty claims must be truthful and backed by evidence; every efficacy claim needs a test/proof file [7].
• Botanicals are largely off-limits right now. A Court of Justice ruling on 30 April 2025 confirmed you cannot advertise health benefits of herbal ingredients (turmeric, echinacea, ashwagandha, etc.) until the EU approves them, and most are still unapproved [8].

2. The rules change by product type

• Supplements (vitamins, minerals, omega-3). Use only register-approved claims, in the approved wording [2][3]. Watch out: rewording an approved claim to sound stronger usually breaks the rule.
• Botanicals and herbals. Almost nothing is allowed right now; most claims are on hold [8]. The most marketable wellness ingredients have the least legal room.
• Cosmetics and beauty. Truthful, evidence-backed claims are fine, and there is more freedom than with food [7]. But a medical-sounding claim like "cures eczema" turns it into a medicine.
• Borderline products (detox, immunity cures, weight-loss, CBD). If it claims to treat or cure, it counts as a medicine and consumer ads are restricted or banned [4]. Biggest liability: "fights off colds" crosses into an illegal drug claim.

3. Where it gets stricter, country by country

The rules in the section above apply in every EU country. On top of them, each country adds its own enforcement and labels. The strictest markets are below.

• Netherlands. Health-product ads that make a health claim, including influencer posts, are pre-checked by the Keuringsraad (KOAG/KAG) before they run [12]. Local label: "betaald partnerschap" or #advertentie.
• Germany. Strictest enforcement. The brand can be held liable for what an influencer says, and an English "#ad" is rejected because the label must be German [13][14]. Local label: "Werbung" or "Anzeige", placed at the start.
• France. A binding 2023 law bans influencer promotion of several health products and requires clear labels, with fines up to €300,000 plus prison [15][16]. Local label: "Publicité" or "Collaboration commerciale".
• Italy. The antitrust authority (AGCM), 2024 AGCOM guidelines and the IAP Digital Chart enforce hidden-ad rules [17]. Local label: #pubblicità, #adv or "sponsorizzato".
• Spain. Big creators (over 1,000,000 followers and over €300,000 income) must register with the regulator under Royal Decree 444/2024, and an industry Code covers the rest [18]. Local label: "publicidad" or "en colaboración con".
• Belgium. No special law; self-regulation (JEP) guidelines apply, and you label in the post's language [19]. Local label: #pub (French) or #adv (Dutch).

Other EU markets at a glance. These follow the EU rules above plus local self-regulation; notable points:

• Sweden, self-regulator (Reklamombudsmannen) with strong case law on clearly marking ads [20].
• Denmark and Finland, EU rules plus national influencer guidance. In Denmark, creators have been fined for hidden ads [21].
• Ireland, ASAI has a specific guidance note on recognising influencer ads [22].
• Austria, the Advertising Council adopted specific influencer rules; ads must be clearly disclosed [23].
• Poland, the consumer authority (UOKiK) fined supplement and pharma maker Olimp over PLN 5m, with the influencers fined too, for undisclosed influencer ads [21].
• Portugal, Greece, Czechia, EU rules + self-regulation codes urging clear labelling of sponsored posts [21][24].

Remaining EU markets. All follow the EU baseline above plus national advertising self-regulation; specific notes:

• Bulgaria, self-regulation council (NCSR) whose advertising code covers influencers [29].
• Croatia, advertising code (HURA) plus IAB influencer disclosure guidelines [30].
• Cyprus, advertising regulator (CARO) follows EASA influencer best-practice [31].
• Estonia, EU rules; disclosure enforced by the state consumer authority (TTJA) [32].
• Hungary, self-regulation (ÖRT); the competition authority (GVH) actively fines undisclosed ads [33].
• Latvia, EU rules; consumer-authority influencer guidance under the Advertising Law [34].
• Lithuania, rules require #ad / #reklama; fines up to €100,000 for hidden ads [35].
• Luxembourg, self-regulation (CLEP); EU rules, no special statute [36].
• Malta, consumer authority (MCCAA) issued influencer guidelines in Nov 2024 requiring clear "advert" labels [37].
• Romania, self-regulation council (RAC) with an influencer code [38].
• Slovakia, a dedicated Code of Influencer Marketing covering disclosure and health claims [39].
• Slovenia, self-regulation chamber (SOZ); EU rules, no special statute [40].

4. The United Kingdom (different since Brexit)

• Self-regulated ads. Ads are policed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) under the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code; Section 12 covers medicines, medical devices, health-related and beauty products [25].
• Its own approved-claims list. The UK now keeps its own Great Britain register of allowed health claims, separate from the EU's, only claims on the GB list may be used in Britain [26].
• Medicinal claims need a licence. Claiming to treat or cure requires a Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) licence; an unlicensed medicinal claim is a criminal offence and can reclassify a supplement as a medicine [27].
• Stronger influencer enforcement now. Paid, gifted and affiliate content must be labelled (e.g. "#ad"). Since 6 April 2025 the competition authority (CMA) can fine directly, up to 10% of global turnover (or £300,000, whichever is higher), without going to court [28].
• Northern Ireland is different. It still follows the EU claims register, not the GB one [26].

5. How we run a campaign

1. Check the product first. Decide the product type and pull the exact approved claims from the register before any copy is written [2][3].
2. Lead with products that have legal room. Build claim-based ads on approved vitamins/minerals; keep botanicals and borderline products to brand and lifestyle messaging only [8].
3. Lock the creator brief. Give influencers the approved wording word-for-word, plus a clear do-not-say list, and approve content before it posts [5][13].
4. Set disclosure per country. Use the correct local label and the platform "paid partnership" tag every time [5][6].
5. Clear strict markets early. Netherlands via the Keuringsraad; Germany and France with local legal review before spending [12][15].
6. Keep the proof. Save claim sources, evidence and disclosure records. If a regulator asks, showing your work is the difference between a warning and a fine [10].

6. Do and don't

Do

• Sell the brand, story and quality, no claim risk.
• Route any health message through the ingredient that has an approved claim, using its exact words [2].
• Use education content over cure-promises.
• Disclose paid content clearly and first, every time [5].
• Check every creator post like a regulator would [9][10].

Don't

• Claim a product treats, prevents or cures anything [4].
• Advertise herbal/botanical health benefits, court-restricted [8].
• Reword approved claims to sound stronger.
• Use before/after health transformations or "detox" language.
• Hide the ad label or rely on a brand tag alone [5].

7. The honest tension

The compliant message is almost always plainer than what performs best on social. The growth play and the legal play pull against each other, and ignoring that is how brands end up in regulator sweeps [10]. Our job is to find the version that is both: strong brand and education creative on the products that have real claim room, kept honest everywhere else, and cleared market-by-market before money goes out.

That review layer, the claim check, the disclosure check and the market-by-market clearance, is what we build into every campaign for regulated brands.

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