The global supplement sector has celebrated in Singapore this week the major steps that have been taken to create an ASEAN market in health supplements.
The health supplement sector was identified as a priority area for harmonization under the priority integration sector of healthcare by the ASEAN political leaders in 2004 and today nearly 90% of the initial targets for agreement have been achieved.
These include the requirements for labelling and communication, manufacturing standards, and the type and levels of ingredients that can be used in health supplements across Southeast Asia.
“This is a significant step forward for ASEAN and now creates one of the world’s largest integrated markets estimated at US$6 billion in 2014 and growing rapidly,” said Daniel Quek, chairman of ASEAN Alliance of Health Supplement Associations and president of the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore.
The ASEAN Economic Community is being established with the target of building a single market and production base.
“We expect the creation of the single market in health supplements to stimulate further increases of investment and employment in ASEAN countries through the activities of health supplement companies,” said Ric Hobby, chairman of International Alliance of Dietary/ Food Supplement Associations.
“In addition, we expect that through the agreement of common standards consumers across ASEAN can increasingly gain the health benefits that supplements can provide.”
