# How do you read a supplement label in South Africa?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/how-to-read-a-supplement-label-south-africa/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> Check four things: the serving size, the nutrition table per 100 g and per serving, the full ingredient list, and the name and South African address of the manufacturer or importer. Under R146, a label must also show allergens, batch and date marking. Work out protein per 100 g to see if a whey tub makes sense.

Key facts:
- R146 requires product name, ingredients, allergens, net quantity, SA manufacturer or importer address, origin, batch and date marking.
- Isolate is typically 85-90 g protein per 100 g of powder; concentrate 70-80 g.
- A University of Pretoria study found measured protein differed significantly from the label in 68.6% of 70 SA products.
- USN BlueLab 1 kg at R689 works out at about R28 per 30 g protein (October 2026).

## What must a South African food label show?

Under R146 (the Regulations Relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs, in force as of October 2026), a sports food label must carry:

- Product name and ingredient list
- Allergen declaration (milk, soy and others)
- Net quantity in metric units
- Name and South African address of the manufacturer or importer
- Country of origin
- Batch number and date marking
- A nutrition table, per 100 g and per serving, when any nutrition claim is made

Draft regulations R3337 propose front-of-pack warnings and tighter claim rules, but they are not law and have no publication date. Products sold as health supplements (Category D) must also carry a SAHPRA disclaimer if unregistered, stating the product has not been evaluated for quality, safety or intended use.

## How do you check protein?

Divide protein per serving by serving size to get protein as a percentage of the powder, then compare with the type of whey:

| Product (listed data) | Protein / serving | Serving | Protein % of powder |
|---|---|---|---|
| USN BlueLab 100% Whey | 23.6 g | 32 g | about 74% |
| NPL 100% Whey Isolate | 19.9 g | 25 g | about 80% |
| USN Isozero Isolate | 20 g | 23 g | about 87% |

Isolate should sit at roughly 85-90 g per 100 g and concentrate at 70-80 g. A tub labelled isolate with a much lower figure, or a concentrate far above 80%, deserves a closer look. Some Dis-Chem product pages show the nutrition table only as an image, so protein per serving may not be in the text.

## What are the red flags?

- **Proprietary blends** that hide individual doses; see [what a proprietary blend is](/answers/what-is-a-proprietary-blend-and-why-avoid-it/).
- **Added free amino acids** (glycine, taurine, creatine) in a "whey" product, a sign of [amino spiking](/answers/what-is-amino-spiking-whey-south-africa/).
- **A tiny serving size** that makes a product look cheap or low in sugar.
- **Disease claims** or "SAHPRA approved"; see [is "clinically proven" legal](/answers/is-clinically-proven-on-a-supplement-label-legal-south-africa/).
- **Missing importer address or batch number.**

## How reliable are protein labels?

A University of Pretoria study of 70 high-protein supplements bought from SA retailers found measured protein differed significantly from the label in 68.6%; 21 held more than 10% less protein than stated, and five were 42-80% under. Brands were not named. A separate study of 15 best-selling SA whey products found 60% did not meet draft amino-acid criteria. Both are older snapshots and the draft criteria are not law, but they explain why third-party certificates of analysis matter.

## How do you turn a label into a price?

Rand per 30 g of protein = price divided by (servings in the tub x protein per serving) x 30. For USN BlueLab 1 kg at R689: about 31 servings x 23.6 g = roughly 737 g protein, so about R28 per 30 g. For other supplements, use the dose that matters: R per 5 g creatine, R per 10 g collagen. See [how to compare prices per serving](/answers/how-to-compare-supplement-prices-per-serving/).

## What about allergens and sweeteners?

Whey contains milk; isolate is low in lactose but not milk-free. Sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame-K, stevia) are listed by name in the ingredients. If a label does not state a sweetener, the retailer page may still list one, so read the physical pack too. Compare tubs in our [best whey protein](/best/best-whey-protein-south-africa/) guide.

## Products mentioned

| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 30 g protein | R per 100 g powder | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USN BlueLab 100% Whey Protein (1 kg) | 1 kg | R689 (USN shop (za.usn.global), 2026-10) | — | R28.03 | R68.90 | not stated |
| NPL 100% Whey Protein Isolate (700 g) | 700 g | R900 (NPL shop (npl.za.com), 2026-10) | — | R48.46 | R128.57 | sucralose |
| USN Isozero Whey Protein Isolate (805 g) | 805 g | R899-R909.99 (USN shop (za.usn.global), 2026-10) | — | R38.53 | R111.68 | not stated |

## Sources

- [ASC Food Safety Training: Food labelling regulations in South Africa, what R146 actually requires](https://ascfoodsafetytraining.com/food-labelling-regulations-south-africa-r146-complete-guide/)
- [SAFOODS (SAMRC): Labelling regulations overview](https://safoods.mrc.ac.za/labelling.html)
- [Schönfeldt, Hall & Pretorius 2019, High protein sports supplements: protein quality and label compliance (J Food Compos Anal 83:103293)](https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/74902)
- [University of Pretoria (Jul 2021): Muscle-building shakes don't always have as much protein as they claim](https://www.up.ac.za/research-matters/news/muscle-building-shakes-dont-always-have-much-protein-they-claim-0)
- [Daily Maverick (7 Oct 2026): Three years, 6,000 pages, no labels, who's stalling SA's food warnings?](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-07-food-warning/)