A coalition of Moroccan companies operating in the dietary supplement sector is calling on the government, political parties, and members of parliament to withdraw a modification to article 30 of pharmaceutical law 17-04, adopted in early June by the Chamber of Representatives and currently awaiting examination by the upper chamber, reported le360 news outlet. The amendment, introduced into parliament in March 2026, would grant pharmacies an exclusive right to sell supplements deemed to carry a therapeutic effect — a designation the industry contends is scientifically undefined and commercially unjustifiable.
The Coalition of companies operating in the dietary supplement sector says it has the backing of ten professional associations and more than 150 Moroccan companies, including ten manufacturing laboratories. Its members estimate that the proposed measure could affect over 5,000 enterprises operating across the value chain, placing at risk approximately 40,000 direct jobs and nearly 80,000 indirect positions. Consumer harm is also anticipated, in the form of reduced choice and higher prices resulting from a single authorized distribution channel.
The coalition is particularly critical of what it describes as an absence of consultation before the amendment was proposed. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, e-commerce operators, parapharmacies, and specialist retailers say they were not invited to contribute to any prior evaluation of the regulatory change. The sector insists that dietary supplements are food products, not drugs, already governed by food safety law 28-07 and subject to oversight by the Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires.
In a statement to the news outlet, Badr Bouarich, CEO of a private manufacturing laboratory and spokesperson for the coalition, argues that no scientific study or data has been presented to demonstrate that a generalized health risk exists that would justify restricting distribution to a single channel. He added that Moroccan dosage limits for several vitamins and mineral substances already fall below the thresholds applied in European and American markets, underlining the need for a scientifically precise definition of therapeutic effect before any restriction is imposed.
The coalition is calling for a risk-based regulatory framework rather than a channel restriction, citing international practice in which supplements are sold across multiple outlets including pharmacies, parapharmacies, supermarkets, specialist stores, and online platforms. Its members maintain that tighter regulation and monopolization are not equivalent, and that any reform should protect consumers while preserving market competition, investment, and employment across the sector.
