Documentation & responsible buying
Health Claims on Your Matcha Menu: What EU Rules Allow
Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, a health claim is any statement that suggests a food or one of its components has an effect on health, and it may only be made if it is authorised and listed in the EU register, used under its conditions of use. For a café, the practical rule is simple: describe matcha by what it is, where it comes from, how it tastes and how you make it, and do not say or suggest what it does for the body. This guide explains how the rules work and gives wording you can use on menus, boards and social posts.
This article explains the rules; it is not legal advice. If you are planning a specific claim, check with your local food authority or a food law adviser.
How the regulation works
Who it applies to
The regulation covers claims made in commercial communications about food: labels, menus, chalkboards, websites, social media and advertising. It applies to cafés and restaurants as much as to manufacturers. A line on an Instagram post about a drink is a commercial communication.
What counts as a claim
The regulation distinguishes:
- Nutrition claims: statements about what a food contains or does not contain, such as "low sugar" or "source of fibre". Only claims listed in the regulation's annex may be used, and only when the product meets the stated conditions.
- Health claims: statements that state, suggest or imply a relationship between a food, or one of its ingredients, and health. This includes claims about bodily functions, mental performance, behaviour, and reducing disease risk.
The test is the overall impression on an average consumer, not just the literal words. An image, a drink name or a hashtag can imply a claim.
Only authorised claims
Health claims are not allowed unless authorised at EU level. The European Commission keeps a public register listing authorised claims with their conditions of use, and non-authorised claims with the reason they were rejected. Many claims referring to plant substances (botanicals) have not had their assessment finalised, so they are not in the register as authorised and cannot be treated as allowed.
Conditions of use
An authorised claim comes with conditions. Typically the food must contain a stated quantity of the substance, and the wording must reflect the authorised claim. A claim that is authorised for one food is not automatically usable for another.
For matcha served in a café, you would need to show the drink meets the conditions in the register for a specific authorised claim, and use the authorised wording. In practice, cafés very rarely have the product data to do this, so the safe course is not to make health claims at all.
Do and don't: menu wording
| Don't write | Why it is a problem | Write instead |
|---|---|---|
| "Matcha for a natural pick-me-up" | Implies an effect on the body | "Matcha whisked to order with oat milk" |
| "Good-for-you matcha latte" | A general reference to benefit; only allowed alongside a specific authorised claim (Article 10(3)) | "Matcha latte, Uji first-harvest matcha" |
| "Feel calm and alert" | Implies effects on mood and mental performance | "Smooth, grassy, with a gentle sweetness" |
| "Clean energy" | Implies a bodily effect | "Contains caffeine" (factual, where relevant) |
| "Good for your skin" | Implies a bodily effect | Describe the colour, texture or flavour |
| "#wellness #glow" on a drink post | Hashtags can imply a claim | Hashtags about the drink, the method or the place |
| "Packed with goodness" | Implies a nutritional or health benefit | "Stone-milled green tea powder" |
| Drink named "Defence Latte" or "Glow Latte" | A name can be a claim | Name it after flavour or ingredients |
Wording you can use
These are descriptive statements about the product and the preparation. Use only those that are true of the matcha you buy and that you can document.
- Origin: "matcha from Uji, Kyoto"
- Harvest and processing: "first harvest", "stone-milled"
- Preparation: "whisked to order", "made with water at 80 °C", "served as a pure bowl"
- Flavour: "vegetal", "umami", "smooth", "mellow bitterness", "creamy with oat milk"
- Composition facts: "contains caffeine"
- Pairings and serves: "iced with oat milk", "with a shot of espresso" (see building dirty matcha drinks for describing those)
If you use Ceremonial Barista Matcha or Ceremonial Matcha, the facts Yumi confirms for both are: matcha from Uji (Kyoto), Japan, first harvest, stone-milled. "Ceremonial" is a trade term rather than an official grade, so avoid presenting it as a quality certification on your menu.
Grey areas to avoid
Supplier marketing. If a supplier's website or packaging makes effect claims, do not copy them. The claim becomes yours when you publish it.
Third-party content. Reposting a guest's or influencer's post that makes claims about your drink may be seen as your own communication, so check it before you share.
"Traditionally used for". Historical or cultural framing can still imply an effect. Keep cultural content to how matcha is prepared and served.
Allergen and dietary information. Statements like "dairy-free" or "vegan" are not health claims, but they must be accurate. Base them on the ingredient information you hold; see dairy-free and allergen-aware matcha menu options.
Caffeine. Stating that a drink contains caffeine is factual and useful. Making it sound like a benefit is not. How to talk about caffeine in matcha covers guest questions.
Juice and smoothie settings. Venues positioned around wellness are especially exposed because their whole menu language leans on effects. If that is your setting, review drink names and descriptions line by line; matcha for juice and smoothie bars covers the menu side.
Menu review checklist
Run this over every menu, board and post that mentions matcha.
- [ ] No words or images suggesting an effect on the body, mind or energy
- [ ] No drink names that imply an effect
- [ ] No hashtags implying effects
- [ ] Origin, harvest and milling statements match your supplier's documentation
- [ ] "Ceremonial" not presented as an official or independent grade
- [ ] Dietary statements ("vegan", "dairy-free") match recipe and ingredient records
- [ ] No claims copied from supplier or third-party marketing
Next step
Rewrite your matcha descriptions using flavour, origin and preparation, then run the checklist over your social channels as well as the printed menu. Test the drink itself with both 10 g samples so your flavour words describe what guests will actually taste.