Posted on 19th Apr 2010 @ 10:34 AM

Cheap discount supplements Scam and how to avoid being taken in by overseas companies.

We get asked the question a lot on why US based companies are cheaper than UK based supplement distributors/suppliers and the answer is simple “they are for a reason”.

So what is that reason? Well for a start your goods if Milk based are not getting inside the country if they are over 43% Milk produce or animal related such as Whey protein powders, mass Gaine supplements, or any other whey protein derivative you may wish to import at the so called cheaper price.

Now let’s be clear here our objective is to protect you the consumer for falling for the cheap discount supplement scam that we have all fallen foul to in the past, the thought of taking a punt on a cheap deal even if it is a 12 day delivery time.  But the fact of the matter is “you will never see the product”.

The US based supplement companies should know better than this and they use the UK and Europe as a platform to shift short dated and sometimes even out of date supplements to unsuspecting consumers whom they know will not be interested in shipping it all the back to its destination of origin, and even if you are super pissed and decide “I am sending these supplements back no matter what!” then the chances of it getting back out the country are nil.

Cheapdiscountsupplements scam and what to watch out for

1. Whey protein supplements should not be imported into the UK without a Milk certificate and signed “health certificate” issued directly by the manufacturer.
2. Most supplement manufacturers will have a UK/EU authorised supplement distributor so the US based Company will most likely be shipping (unauthorised).
3. If it does get into the UK without this paper work both the shipper i.e. (you) and the sender i.e. (the company) are breaking the law.
4. If the goods do get through customs you are lucky, but if damaged the chances of returning are nil and right of recourse is also nil because the goods shouldn’t be here in the first place.
5. The US has no distance selling regulations, just FDA or USDA and if you involve them it still won’t get you your cash back, just satisfaction of causing the US Company some problems.
6. If you do find yourself in this situation like thousands of unsuspecting UK /EU supplement buyer riding on the $ (false savings economy) then you do have comeback.

If the US based company decides to ignore you if you have received Milk Based supplements such as whey protein, weight gaining supplements then simply inform them that you will be contacting the USDA to inform them of their illegal trading behaviour.  Also instruct them that you are contacting the manufacturer of the product to see if they have an authorised supplements dealer in the UK/EU and if they do, inform the manufacturer that Dodgy supplements.com sold you their product and broke the law, “what are you going to do about it”.  This could result in the US companies discount being revoked.

You can also contact London chambers who are more than happy to take up this crusade against US based companies who continue to defy the EU legislations on controlling the import of Animal based milk products such as whey protein.

Maybe they don’t understand milk products come from animals and require health certifications if it

Contains a specific amount of whey normally over 43%, but the law is the law and what the US based companies need to realise is that in the face of EU importation law on restricted produce, Ignorance is no excuse.

Just realise how exposed you are the next time you attempt to import discount supplements into the UK/EU, and you have more of a comeback than any US comapny will ever realise.