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Popular online marketplaces are under fire after a Which? investigation revealed that prescription-only melatonin is being illegally sold to UK shoppers.
The watchdog found scores of unauthorized listings, with some products containing doses up to 15 times the standard amount prescribed by doctors.
In the UK, melatonin is a prescription-only medicine used to treat sleep disorders. It is typically reserved for adults over 55 or children with specific neurodevelopmental conditions.
Despite this, Which? found the hormone sold openly on platforms like AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Superdrug Marketplace, and Temu.
Deceptive tactics and dangerous doses
The investigation highlighted a trend of extreme “mega-dosing.” While a standard NHS starting dose is 2mg, some listings on Temu advertised doses as high as 30mg.
High doses can cause severe headaches, dizziness, and mood changes and may interfere with vital medications like antidepressants or contraception.
Sellers reportedly use deceptive tactics to bypass safety filters too. Many hide references to “melatonin” in the fine print or use intentional typos like “melat onin” to avoid being flagged by algorithms.
In one case, a product marketed as a “night time fat burner” on eBay listed melatonin as an ingredient without specifying any dosage.
Calls for stronger regulation
The risks are particularly high for children, who should never take melatonin without medical supervision. “It’s really worrying that melatonin is being illegally marketed… putting consumers’ health at risk,” said Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Policy.
She noted that because these products operate outside legal channels, there is no guarantee they don’t contain harmful fillers.
Which? is now calling on the government to strengthen oversight and hold online marketplaces accountable. While many retailers removed the flagged listings after the report, the watchdog argues that stronger enforcement is “desperately needed” to prevent these illegal supplements from appearing in the first place.
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