Walk into a London chemist or scroll any high-street retailer’s site and you’ll see CBD everywhere: drops beside multivitamins, gummies in the confectionery aisle, sparkling drinks in the chiller. Choice is good, but the labels can be confusing. Strengths are presented in three different ways, ingredients vary, and UK rules have shifted in the past two years. This guide strips it back so you can choose with confidence.
When people talk about popular CBD in the UK, they usually mean three everyday formats: oils (tinctures), gummies, and drinks. All can fit a normal routine. The right pick comes down to how quickly you want it to act, how precisely you want to measure a serving, and how many extra calories or sweeteners you want to take on.
Regulation matters because it shapes what appears on shelves. In October 2023, UK food regulators cut the precautionary daily intake for CBD in foods to 10 mg, reflecting a safety-first approach that challenged many product recipes and headlines at the time. You can read an accessible overview of that decision in this report on how the FSA cut the daily limit to 10 mg, which also noted the industry’s likely resilience.
How to read a UK CBD label
Strong products aren’t the same as strong marketing. Here’s how to decode a bottle or can in under a minute.
- Strength per bottle versus per serving. A common 10 ml oil labelled “1000 mg CBD” contains 100 mg per ml. Most droppers hold about 1 ml, roughly 20 drops, so you’re looking at around 5 mg per drop. If you want to stay within 10 mg per day, that’s two drops of a 1000 mg/10 ml oil, or a smaller number of drops from a lower-strength bottle.
- Spectrum type.
• Isolate means just CBD.
• Broad-spectrum means CBD plus other cannabinoids, typically with THC filtered out.
• Full-spectrum may include trace cannabinoids and terpenes. If you’re avoiding THC entirely, look for “broad-spectrum” or “THC-free” and check the lab report. - Third-party lab report (COA). Look for a recent batch-specific certificate showing cannabinoid content and contaminants testing. Good brands link to it via QR code. Check the report date and the batch number on your product to match.
- Serving and usage advice. Reputable labels will state an approximate amount of CBD per serving and remind you not to exceed the current UK advice for daily intake. If you use more than one CBD product in a day, add them together.
- THC and other limits. In July 2025, trade coverage summarised new FSA guidance on THC, noting a safe upper limit in hemp-derived CBD foods and reaffirming the 10 mg per day CBD intake used by businesses to reformulate products. This is a useful signpost when you’re comparing labels or checking reformulated drinks.
Pick your format: speed, precision, and convenience
Oils (tinctures)
Best for precise measuring and quick adjustments. Hold drops under the tongue for 60 seconds, then swallow. This route typically feels faster than gummies or capsules. If you want fine control, start with a 5% oil and note how many drops you actually use over a week.
Gummies and capsules
Best for consistent routines and travel. Each piece has a fixed amount, which simplifies tracking your daily total. The trade-off is a slower onset. If you are calorie-conscious or avoid sweeteners, check the nutrition panel or pick capsules.
Drinks
Best for casual, social use. CBD sodas and seltzers slot into a work break or an evening wind-down. Many cans historically listed 10–30 mg per serve, so pay attention to reformulated recipes and your running daily total relative to the 10 mg guidance. If you already take oil in the morning, a late-afternoon drink may push you above your own limit.
Topicals
Balms and creams are popular for post-gym routines. They are not foods, so the 10 mg daily intake guidance doesn’t directly apply. Still, quality rules remain the same: clear labelling, batch number, and a recent COA.
Quality signals that actually matter
Clear origin story. If a brand tells you the hemp variety, where it was grown, and who extracted the oil, that’s a good start. Vague copy about “premium European hemp” without specifics is less helpful.
Carrier oil and flavour. MCT oil is common because it’s stable and neutral. If taste puts you off, pick a flavoured oil or a capsule so you actually stick with your routine.
Freshness window. A recent production date and a COA issued within the last six months suggest an active quality system. Products languishing in the back of a shelf can degrade, which affects both taste and accuracy.
Transparent support. A UK phone number or live chat, clear returns information, and accessible lab reports are better signs than celebrity endorsements. If a site leans on claims that sound medicinal, be skeptical. UK CBD sold as food should avoid medical promises and present sensible, non-medical usage advice.
Child-safe packaging. Look for child-resistant caps and straightforward warnings about who should not use CBD foods, including under-18s and people who are pregnant. If you’re on prescription medication, ask a pharmacist before adding CBD to your day.
A simple, safe way to test what works for you
Build a seven-day log. Write down what you use, when, and how you feel one to two hours later. Keep the rest of your routine steady. For many people, a small morning amount and a small evening amount feel steadier than a single larger serving. If your log shows you felt the same with less, stick with less. If you felt nothing at all, adjust the timing or the format rather than leaping to a much stronger product.
Match your format to your moments. A designer who wants a calmer commute might take two drops before leaving the house, then keep a low-dose gummy in the laptop sleeve for tough afternoons. A Sunday-league player nursing tight calves might prefer a topical post-shower and skip edible CBD that day. Consistency matters more than chasing “maximum strength.”
Stay within the current advice while rules evolve. UK regulation is moving toward clearer authorisations and tighter labelling. Brands are reformulating to fit the latest safety guidance on both CBD and THC. As a shopper, you don’t need to follow the politics, just the label and your log. If the label aligns with the guidance, the batch report checks out, and your notes say it helps you feel a bit more settled or sleep a bit better, you’re making a sound choice.
Bottom line
CBD in the UK is no longer a niche, but the smart way to shop still looks simple. Read the label properly. Verify the batch report. Track your own response and add up your total for the day. That combination of transparency, modest dosing, and patient experimentation beats hype every time. The shelves will keep evolving, but those habits will keep serving you well.