Last week’s headlines included news that Holland & Barrett is returning to Singapore, France renewing its ban on food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia, and the U.S. FTC‘s action against Amare over mental health product claims.
UK retailer Holland & Barrett is returning to Singapore and entering more Asian markets through an exclusive partnership with DFI Retail Group – the parent company of retail pharmacy chains Guardian and Mannings.
Aside from Singapore, DFI will serve as Holland & Barrett’s (H&B) exclusive distribution partner in Hong Kong, with more markets added to the pipeline further down the road.
H&B’s products are now available through selected Guardian Singapore stores and the Guardian Singapore app.
The partnership was announced at a signing ceremony on June 3.
“By combining Holland & Barrett’s wellness expertise with DFI’s strong retail presence and local market insight, we have an exciting opportunity to make trusted, science-led wellness solutions more accessible and relevant to everyday life across Asia,” said Gordon Farquhar, international managing director, H&B.
France has renewed the prohibition of food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia for an additional year as the European Council extends its consultation over the ingredient’s safety.
France’s initial ban, issued last year, followed urgent recommendations from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES). In its 69-page scientific opinion, the agency reported 35 admissible cases of adverse hepatic, cardiovascular or digestive reactions potentially linked to food supplements containing the botanical between 2009 and 2024.
While the Garcinia cambogia has been banned in medicinal preparations in France due to lack of proven therapeutic benefits and safety concerns since 2012, an order dated April 15, 2025 suspended the importation, marketing and sale of food supplements containing the ingredient for one year from date of issue. The renewed prohibition applies until April 18, 2027.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Amare Global Holdings Inc. (Amare) and three company executives, alleging the multilevel marketing company illegally marketed dietary supplements as treatments for depression, anxiety and ADHD in children and adults.
Filed June 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the complaint targets products including Happy Juice, Kids Mood+ and Kids Happy Juice, which Amare promoted through social media and its brand partner sales network.
The agency names Amare, CEO and majority shareholder David Chung, former chief science officer Shawn Talbott and founding brand partner Patrick Hintze in the complaint.
“Amare’s claims were not only deceptive but dangerous since it was aware that some brand partners were taking advantage of parents looking for products to help their children, who suffer from serious conditions like depression and anxiety and need proven treatments,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in the agency’s press statement.
Amare did not issue a public response to the complaint at press time and the company and the involved parties did not reply to a request for comment prior to publication.