NSF Collaborates with Wegmans to Launch "Verified with Confidence" Program for Dietary Supplements

All supplements, herbals, probiotics, and CBD products sold at 106 Wegmans stores  to be reviewed and tested by NSF

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global public health organization NSF is collaborating with Wegmans Food Markets to launch its Verified with Confidence program for all dietary supplements, herbals, probiotics, and CBD-containing products sold at Wegmans. "We have been concerned about inconsistent requirements in testing standards in the supplement industry," said Karen Shadders, Wegmans Vice President of Health and Well-being. "Our Verified with Confidence program allows us to ensure the products on our shelves contain the ingredients stated on the bottle." This program, designed to help consumers identify high-quality products, solidifies Wegmans' longtime commitment to safety and quality. This is one of the first retailer quality assurance programs in the industry that addresses high-risk products and the importance of quality ingredients.

 "We worked with NSF to launch this program knowing this is the right thing to do for our customers," said Betsy Crater, Non-food Quality Assurance Manager at Wegmans Food Markets. "We are excited to be a leader in this initiative and help inspire others in the industry to get on board as well."

NSF is administering the overall program and providing auditing services, product testing, label review accuracy, and claims substantiation. Wegmans' Verified with Confidence program will incorporate the most current ANSI-accredited Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) audit standards – NSF/ANSI 455-2 for Dietary Supplements and NSF/ANSI 455-3 for Cosmetics/Personal Care Products. These new GMP audit standards are built on the current regulations detailed in 21 CFR 111 and 117 and came as a result of consensus amongst retailers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

"Wegmans is demonstrating true leadership with its Verified with Confidence program," said David Trosin, Managing Director of Health Sciences Certification at NSF. "Consumers want to know what's in the products they buy and more and more they are expecting retailers to play an active role in quality assurance and product safety. We envision a future when most major retailers will require brands to show proof of product quality in some form or another, whether through independent assurance of GMP compliance, independent laboratory testing of products, or both."

NSF began certifying dietary supplement manufacturers and personal care product manufacturers to the new NSF/ANSI 455 GMP standards in January 2021.

Learn more about NSF's dietary supplement testing and certification services. For media inquiries, please contact Allison Gammel at [email protected].

NSF (nsf.org) is an independent, global organization that facilitates standards development, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences, and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. With operations in 180 countries, NSF is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality, and Indoor Environment.

NSF's health sciences services include training and education, consulting, clinical research, regulatory guidance, corporate compliance and, separately, auditing, GMP and GLP analytical testing, DNA testing, certification, and R&D for the pharma biotech, medical device, and dietary supplement industries throughout the product lifecycle.  

Wegmans Food Markets is a 106-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. The family company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the '100 Best Companies to Work For' by FORTUNE magazine for 25 consecutive years, ranking #3 in 2022. The company also ranked #1 on PEOPLE's 2021 'Companies That Care' list.

SOURCE NSF International