Vegan Society unveils plastic-free multivitamin package as data reveals dearth of vitamin D supplementation

09 Jun 2021 --- A quarter of British people admit they do not take any form of vitamin D supplementation – despite strong recommendations from the nation’s National Health Service (NHS), which specifies that this supplement should be taken from October to March as a minimum.

This is according to a recent survey from The Vegan Society, which also unveiled its plastic-free packaging for VEG 1.

VEG 1 is a nutritional supplement developed to provide a source of vitamins D3, B12, B2 and B6, folic acid, iodine and selenium. Initially created for vegans, it was designed to incorporate seven nutrients into one capsule.

The packaging is made from aluminum and completely recyclable. According to Innova Market Insights, only 19 percent of global consumers regard metal packaging’s recyclability as “below average.”Vitamin D is taken by 68% of individuals who take supplements, which is the greatest percentage of any vitamin or mineral surveyed.

In the UK, 35 percent of consumers believe metal packaging has “good” recyclability while 27 percent think it is “excellent.”

“Aluminum is particularly suitable for multivitamins as it has a low moisture transition rate and protects from reactive elements in the air,” Bethany Dandy, business development and marketing officer at the Vegan Society tells NutritionInsight.

“Aluminum is a very sustainable option. 80 percent of all metal ever produced in the world is still in use today and due to its intrinsic value, it is rarely wasted.”

“Metal packaging is also recycled more than any other primary packaging material, with 75 percent of all aluminum being recycled in the UK. Aluminum can be recycled infinitely, without any degradation in quality,” she adds.

A peek into the sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D regulates the quantity of phosphate and calcium in the body, which helps maintain bones, muscles, and teeth health.

According to public health recommendations, everyone in the UK should take a vitamin D supplement from October to March as the lack of exposure to the sun leads to the body not producing this vital nutrient.

The survey finds 81 percent of the UK population take a vitamin or supplement in some form or another, but 19 percent say they avoid them.

“These results further accentuate the need for more public health awareness around Vitamin D supplementation,” Andrea Rymer, dietitian at the Vegan Society tells NutritionInsight.

According to the survey, 26 percent of those who take supplements on a regular basis take a multivitamin every day without fail, while 18 percent take them whenever they remember. A vitamin or supplement is used by 12 percent of people for specific health or dietary reasons.

People who consume a meat-heavy diet (36 percent) have the highest rate of complete abstinence from vitamins and supplements, while those who consider themselves vegan or plant-based have the lowest rate (2 percent).

“A selective vitamin and mineral supplement designed for vegans can help people to optimize their nutrition. It’s good to bear in mind that discussing supplement use with a health professional will help to ensure suitability for individual needs,” explains Heather Russell, dietitian at the Vegan Society.VEG 1 packaging is made from recyclable aluminum.

“A well-planned vegan diet includes appropriate supplementation, complementing a balanced and varied intake of plant-based foods”.

Influence of the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS established a program to provide free vitamin D pills to high-risk or highly susceptible persons who may not have gotten enough from natural sunshine due to stay-at-home restrictions.

“It’s important that everyone is aware of public health guidance around vitamin D supplementation, especially while many of us are spending more time indoors,” Russell notes.

Vitamin D has been a hot topic throughout the pandemic as some evidence suggested it could help reduce the severity of COVID-19. However, two preprint studies in March suggested that vitamin D has no significant impact on COVID-19 outcomes.

By Nicole Kerr