CRN introduces 'Roadmap for Retailers' educational tool

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Wednesday released “Roadmap for Retailers: Safely Navigating What You Say About Dietary Supplements,” an educational tool to remind the supplement industry about its responsibilities with regard to the laws and regulations under which supplements are sold.

“As Americans ring in the New Year and look to incorporate dietary supplements into their reinvigorated health regimens, supplement manufacturers and retailers also need to make resolutions about keeping our industry healthy by abiding by the law,” stated Steve Mister, president and CEO at CRN. “The ‘Roadmap for Retailers’ is an important reminder that we owe it to our consumers to steer them in the right direction. We prepared this guidance document to assist our members and their customers, as well as other retailers who are selling dietary supplements. We have an obligation to consumers to follow the law.”

The “Roadmap for Retailers” is available for download on CRN’s website and bulk quantities of a tri-fold pamphlet can be purchased from CRN, the association announced. Sections include a brief explanation of the history of supplement laws, an overview of retailer’s responsibilities, a chart of “Do’s and Don’ts,” tips on educating consumers and warnings for retail clerks who offer personal testimonies. “Roadmap for Retailers” also includes a guide to understanding supplement labels and a glossary of terms to help everything make sense.

“There is a fine line that retailers walk between making claims that are helpful to their customers versus claims that run afoul of the law,” Mister said. “The ‘Roadmap’ was written to help retailers embrace the role they play in properly educating consumers about supplement products, and we hope that it will prove to be a valuable resource for the industry.”