Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 4 hrs ago
Vitamin gummies can cost more while providing fewer nutrients
Which?
found some vitamin gummies and sprays cost up to eight times more than traditional tablets and capsules.
The consumer group compared supplement nutrients, doses, additives and prices.
One magnesium gummy it assessed cost £1.33 per daily dose and provided 206mg, while a tablet option cost 17p and provided 400mg.
The comparison found shoppers could pay more for less; in that example, Which?
said switching could save £423.40 a year.
It also found Boots multivitamin gummies contained nine vitamins, while its tablets contained 23 nutrients considered essential by Which?
nutrition experts.
Gummies can include sugars, sweeteners and other additives, which take up space that could otherwise hold active ingredients.
Which?
advises checking the nutrients, doses and cost per serving and considering whether a supplement is needed.
Boots and Holland & Barrett said they offer different formats to suit customer preferences, and Boots said its pharmacy teams can advise customers.
Which? said vitamin gummies and sprays can cost up to eight times more than traditional supplements while often providing fewer nutrients.
Its comparison found that some tablet options offered higher doses at a lower cost per daily serving.
Which? said sweeteners, sugars and other additives in gummies can take up space that could otherwise hold active ingredients.
The consumer group advised shoppers to compare nutrients, doses and daily costs, and consider whether they need a supplement.
Boots and Holland & Barrett said they offer different supplement formats to suit customers’ preferences and needs.
- Who
- Which? compared supplement products and issued advice to consumers.
- What
- The consumer group found that some vitamin gummies and sprays cost more while providing fewer nutrients than tablets or capsules.
- When
- The article was published on 21 October 2026.
- Where
- The products discussed include options sold by Boots and Holland & Barrett in the UK.
- Why
- Which? said gummies and sprays can contain lower nutrient doses and cost more; it attributed some of the limited space for active ingredients in gummies to additives and fillers.
Which?
Boots and Holland & Barrett
Cost and nutrient content
Which?
Which? said some gummies and sprays cost more while providing fewer nutrients than traditional supplements.
Boots and Holland & Barrett
The retailers’ statements cited here did not directly dispute Which?’s comparison.
Product formats
Which?
Which? advised consumers to compare nutrient doses and daily costs rather than be swayed by appealing formats.
Boots and Holland & Barrett
Boots and Holland & Barrett said gummies offer choice and convenience for customers with different preferences and needs.
Which? assessed the nutrient content, doses, additives and costs of a range of supplements.
Which? advised consumers to check ingredients, nutrient doses and the cost per daily dose.
Boots and Holland & Barrett described their product choices and said their formats cater to different customer preferences.
- Price difference
- Gummies and sprays can cost up to eight times more, according to Which?
- Starpowa magnesium gummies
- £1.33 per daily dose for 206mg of magnesium
- Nutriva magnesium tablets
- 17p per daily dose for 400mg of magnesium
- Potential annual saving
- £423.40 by switching from the compared Starpowa gummies to Nutriva tablets, Which? said
- Boots multivitamin gummies
- 15p per daily dose; nine vitamins, none at doses that met daily recommendations, according to Which?
- Boots A-Z multivitamin tablets
- 7p per daily dose; 23 nutrients considered essential by Which? nutrition experts
What people are saying
Gummies and supplement sprays might seem like an appealing alternative to swallowing tablets, but we’ve found that they often contain lower doses of nutrients than traditional supplements, yet come with a much higher price tag.
Boots is committed to providing customers with wide choice of products catering to different preferences, such as the option of gummies alongside traditional tablets.
Gummies offer a convenient alternative for customers who prefer not to take tablets or capsules.