In 2026, FSE continued to promote the principles of the Code through its member engagement and communications work. The development of a sector-specific guidance on influencer marketing provided a practical focus for discussions on responsible marketing and communication in the food supplements sector.

The draft Influencer Marketing Guidance was developed with input from the FSE Communications Task Force and reviewed by all FSE members. The collaborative process enabled members to exchange views and good practices on responsible, transparent, and legally-compliant influencer marketing of food supplements. The principles underpinning the guidance were also presented at FSE Forum meetings and at industry events, including Vitafoods Europe, helping to raise awareness of responsible influencer marketing across the sector. 

The final guidance document will be published in the Fall of 2026, and FSE will make it publicly available and actively promote it.

The activities described above are aimed at:

• Encouraging FSE members, and the companies represented through FSE’s national associations, to apply responsible marketing practices when working with content creators.
• Sharing practical approaches and good practices across the sector to support transparent and responsible digital communication.
• Exploring the possibility of developing sector-specific tools and resources in support of this Code. 

The above-mentioned Influencer Marketing Guidance document is a specific tool for use by actors in the food supplements sector. The guidance document contains guiding principles geared towards both brand owners and influencers/content creators to promote responsible, transparent, and non-misleading communication, with practical principles and checklists to help apply relevant requirements and good practices.

This work supports aspirational objective #1 of the Code, in particular the indicative actions on transparent consumer information and responsible food marketing and advertising. 

FSE continued to participate in meetings and discussions relating to the Code, engaging actively and constructively with the European Commission, other associations and food system stakeholders.

One of FSE’s achievements during the 2025-2026 reporting period was supporting the development and publication of the peer-reviewed paper, Micronutrient Inadequacy in Europe: the Overlooked Role of Food Supplements in Health Resilience. Drafted by experts from FSE’s Science Task Force and published in Frontiers in Nutrition in September 2025, the paper examines micronutrient inadequacy in Europe and the role that food supplements can play in bridging nutritional gaps and supporting health resilience. 

The paper’s findings were presented to policymakers and stakeholders at FSE’s event in the European Parliament on 10 June 2026. This helped foster evidence-based dialogue on nutrition and public health and supported aspirational objective #1 of the Code by contributing to discussions on healthy, balanced, and sustainable diets for European consumers.