UPDATE: CRN Names Supplement Product Registry Administrator

UL, CRN & The (Proposed) Dietary Supplement Product Registry

Back in April, The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)announced their plans for an industry-wide (but voluntary) dietary supplement registry. Earlier thismonth, CRN officially named the third-party organization that will be responsible for developing and administering the extensive dietary supplement registry.

On July 5th, 2016 CRN announced that it will be partnering with UL – one of the world's foremost independent organizations specializing in safety and science.

UL, CRN & the Dietary Supplement Product Registry

April 2018 marked the 1st anniversary of the Supplement OWL (Online Wellness Library), the dietary supplement product registry. Launched by CRN and UL in April 2017, this self-regulatory enterprise is experiencing exponential progress and interest throughout the industry with already more than 10,000 supplement labels either visible or in process. With new labels being uploaded each month and several major retailers participating; the Supplement OWL is fast becoming the go-to resource for viewers looking to identify supplement products, their ingredients, and the companies who market them.

Why UL?

To answer this question, let's look to a quote from CRN President & CEO Steve Mister:

We spoke with a number of very capable companies for this important project, but UL best fit the bill because of its broad knowledge of the supplement industry, its technical prowess and its brand recognition for consumer safety.

Mister also made a point of acknowledging UL's Prospector® database. The database is a free service meant to provide manufacturers and retailers with safety information and other data concerning the materials and ingredients used in a variety of consumer goods – including materials used in dietary supplements. Along with other factors, the Prospector® database helped secure the opportunity for UL.

Mister went on to state:

We were also impressed with UL’s flexibility in accommodating the range of data fields we want to include that address the important quality discussions taking place within the industry. We are confident that the dietary supplement product registry will provide a viable, adaptable product registry that will serve regulators, retailers, manufacturers, and ultimately consumers, over time.

On the UL side of things, the General Manager of Global Nutraceuticals Division, Mike O'Hare expressed both gratitude and excitement on the behalf of the organization.

The Plan Moving Forward

The Supplement OWL, in addition to including store brands, also offers retailers a wealth of data to help them make more knowledgeable choices when deciding which products, they have confidence in. With the permission of the product manufacturer, the registry also offers retailers the ability to access additional information and supporting documents about quality practices and certifications of products.

You may also be interested in our original coverage of CRN's Supplement Product Registry...