by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
Amazon is tightening the reins AGAIN on supplement brands, and it’s causing a little bit of chaos. This time, joint supplements are the latest category to require third-party verification under its Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) program.
If you remember, last year I reported on the new Amazon compliance announcement and how it could shake up the supplement industry. Well, they apparently weren’t done.
Now, I don’t feel as if this is a move to try to put brands out of business or push more of their own private-label supplements, but man, I’d hate to be a small supplement company right now.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into what this move to test joint supplements means for supplement brands and some of the implications that may come along with this new requirement.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.
What Does This Mean for Supplement Brands?
If you’re a supplement brand on Amazon and you have joint supplements, it’s time to scramble if you want to keep your listing live on their website.
In a recent notice, if you sell joint supplements on Amazon, you now have 90 days to comply with the new verification process (at the time of you reading this, it could be less than 90 days, or that grace period may have already expired).
That means proving your products meet Amazon’s strict testing standards by sending documentation from approved labs like NSF International, Eurofins, or UL, which is required to continue selling your products. If you ask, these independent labs will send your testing data and certificates of analysis directly to Amazon.
This new policy adds joint supplements to a growing list of supplement categories under heavy scrutiny. Others include weight management, sexual enhancement, and sports nutrition/bodybuilding products like pre-workouts.
What Joint Supplements Are Affected?
According to the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), Amazon defines joint supplements as any product that:
- Claims to support joint health, flexibility, or mobility.
- Contains glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), or chondroitin in any amount.
Amazon’s Increasing Supplement Restrictions
Amazon has been ramping up supplement regulations for years now. The TIC program was first announced in April 2024, requiring annual third-party testing for compliance.
The key criteria include:
- Products must be manufactured in a cGMP-compliant facility
- No harmful or undisclosed contaminants
- Ingredients must match the label
- No undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
- Labels must include a supplement facts panel, ingredient list, identity statement, FDA disclaimers, and appropriate warnings
- No illegal or disease-treatment claims
The Bigger Picture: Amazon’s Control Over the Supplement Market
Amazon’s new rules aim to crack down on questionable supplements, which is a good thing in theory. Ensuring product safety and accuracy benefits consumers.
However, these policies also create major challenges — especially for small supplement brands that don’t have a ton of sales to justify paying for additional testing.
The Cost Burden on Small Supplement Companies
Third-party testing isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s really expensive. Getting supplements verified through labs like NSF can cost thousands of dollars per product.
For large supplement companies, that’s just another business expense. They do enough business to justify the added expense just to be on Amazon and continue selling products on their website.
But for smaller brands, it’s a serious financial burden that could drastically hurt their business if they can’t afford the testing and have their products pulled from Amazon.
Many startups and niche brands already operate on razor-thin margins in order to be competitive.
What many consumers fail to understand is that small brands don’t get the same pricing as bigger brands because they can’t produce their supplements in large quantities. Therefore, they need to shrink their margins and price their products in line with their competition, which only allows them to make a little money.
Adding expensive testing requirements could force some of them out of the market entirely if their only sales channel is Amazon.
As a word of caution to brands… don’t ever rely on one channel to make up 100% of your sales. If you’re only found on Amazon, you’re wrong.
Start selling directly to your consumers from your website and build that channel. You don’t own anything with Amazon, but with your own website, you own the data and customer list, so you can always leverage your email list to build sales.
Limited Access to Amazon’s Massive Marketplace
This somewhat piggybacks off of what I mentioned above, but it’s worth having its own section in the article.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, and for many supplement companies, it’s their primary sales channel. But as Amazon continues rolling out stricter policies, it’s becoming harder for smaller brands to compete.
Without the resources to meet Amazon’s growing list of demands, some brands may have to pull their products altogether. That could mean fewer options for consumers and less innovation in the supplement space.
A Trend That’s Likely to Continue
Amazon started implementing stricter supplement policies back in December 2020 but went hardcore starting in 2024. Since then, it’s been adding more categories to its list of required third-party testing. It’s safe to assume this trend will continue.
If you’re a supplement brand selling on Amazon, it’s time to prepare. The best strategy is to stay ahead of these regulations by ensuring your products are compliant before Amazon mandates it and getting your products tested early so that you’re not rushing to get stuff tested when the next supplement category is picked to be on their regulated list.
Do I Think Testing Requirements for Joint Supplements is a Good Thing?
Listen, I’m all for cleaning up the industry, but the risk should be put on the brand, and the consumer should have a right to purchase whatever they want.
Amazon’s push for supplement transparency is well-intentioned, but the impact on small businesses is undeniable. Larger brands will absorb the costs, while smaller companies may struggle — or even shut down.
I don’t think Amazon should be policing the industry with all of these rules and regulations. If you look at other major sites online where supplements are sold, they don’t have these requirements. So, I think it’s odd that Amazon would require it, yet they have some “really odd” things for sale on their website that require no testing at all.
For now, joint supplements are the latest category under Amazon’s microscope. However, if history is any indicator, more supplement categories will follow. If you’re in the industry, it’s time to take compliance seriously — or risk being left behind.
