Hello again.

Back in January 2021 we put up a short post called “It does exactly what it say’s on the label”. (Yes, that apostrophe has been bothering us ever since.) The idea behind it was fair enough: a CBD product should live up to what’s printed on it. But the post itself was only a few lines long, and the rules around CBD in the UK have moved on a lot since then. So here’s a proper update.

This one is about CBD food products, which in the UK means things you swallow, like oil drops and gel tabs. Creams, bath bombs and lip balms are cosmetics and sit under different rules, so we’ll leave them out today.

Four things to look for on the label

In June 2026 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published a Food Fact Check on CBD. For a bit of confidence in a CBD food product, it suggests checking that the label includes:

1. A business name. Somebody should be standing behind the product. If you can’t tell who made or sold it, that’s a warning sign.
2. A contact address. A real address means you (or your local Trading Standards team) can get hold of the business if something isn’t right.
3. An ingredients list. You should be able to see what’s in it. Our broad spectrum oils, for example, are made from just two ingredients: CBD-rich hemp extract and an MCT carrier oil made from coconut.
4. The CBD content per serving. Not just the big number on the front, but how much CBD is in one serving.

None of these four things tells you a product is “good”. They tell you it’s been labelled the way it should be, and that someone is accountable for it. Think of them as the bare minimum, not a gold star.

The big number versus the per-serving number

This is the one that catches most people out. The 1000mg or 1500mg on our oils is the total amount of CBD in the whole bottle. It’s the strength of the pack. It isn’t how much you take in one go.

The per-serving figure is the one that matters when you’re keeping track of how much CBD you’re having. We’ve got a separate post coming on exactly how bottle totals and servings relate, with the sums laid out, so keep an eye out for that.

What the FSA public list actually means

In the UK, CBD in food is classed as a “novel food”. That means it has to be authorised before it can be legally sold. While that process runs, the FSA keeps a public list of CBD food products that are linked to novel food applications it’s assessing. The list covers England and Wales.

The FSA recommends checking that list before you buy, and says only products on it should be on sale. So it’s well worth a look.

Here’s the important bit, though. Being on the list means an application is in progress. It does not mean the product has been approved. The FSA says so itself: inclusion on the list doesn’t mean a product is authorised, only that the applicant is seeking authorisation.

Why we’ll never say “FSA approved”

You might see some CBD sellers describe their products as “FSA approved”. Be wary of that. At the time of writing, no CBD food products have been authorised in the UK.

Things are moving. At its September 2026 board meeting, the FSA recommended that government ministers in England and Wales authorise the first three CBD novel food applications. But the final decision sits with ministers, and a recommendation isn’t an authorisation. If that changes, we’ll update this post and tell you plainly what it means.

A couple of other things worth a second look

• Medical claims. The FSA advises being cautious of CBD products that make medical claims. CBD foods aren’t medicines, and there are no authorised health claims for them. If a label or website promises to fix something, that’s a reason to look elsewhere.
• Who it isn’t for. Good labelling should tell you who shouldn’t use the product. We’ve got a post coming on who the FSA says should avoid CBD foods altogether.
• “THC-free”. The FSA notes that people should be aware of possible THC exposure even when a product is labelled “THC-free”. Read that phrase with a bit of care, especially if you’re drug tested for work or sport.

Where we stand

Our old post said our products do exactly what they say on the label. These days we’d put it a bit differently: the label should tell you exactly what’s in the product, clearly, so you can make your own mind up. That’s the standard we’re holding ourselves to.

If anything on one of our labels isn’t clear, or you’d like to know more about a product before you buy, just ask. Email help@cbdhealthyliving.co.uk and one of our small team will get back to you.

Thanks for reading,
The CBD Healthy Living team, Barnsley