OptiSlim in Australia: what a meal costs, and the rule that governs it
OptiSlim sells meal-replacement shakes, bars and soups, and its cheapest very low calorie diet shake works out at $1.57 a meal on its own site (27 October 2026). Australia's food regulator classes a very low energy diet as a food for special medical purposes: it is to be used under the supervision of a medical practitioner and dietitian, and as a sole source of nutrition for no more than twelve weeks.
This page carries no affiliate link: Refer Labs paused its OptiSlim link on 3 October 2026.
Do you need a doctor to use a VLCD?
Yes, according to the regulator. Food Standards Australia New Zealand sets the rules for what may be sold as a very low energy diet in Australia, including how it is to be used.
“Very low energy diets (VLED) are food for special medical purposes specially formulated for the dietary management of overweight and obesity.”
“They are to be used under the supervision of a medical practitioner and dietitian.”
“VLED are total diet replacements that can be used as the sole source of nutrition for up to 12 weeks.”
FSANZ also states a VLED is not recommended for people who are pregnant, nursing or lactating, or for infants, children, adolescents and the elderly, other than under medical supervision.
OptiSlim's VLCD collection page did not carry the supervision statement, the contraindications or the duration limit when we read it on 27 October 2026.
How much does OptiSlim cost?
List prices on OptiSlim's own VLCD collection page, read on 27 October 2026. Cost per meal is the box price divided by the meals in it, which is the figure worth comparing against anything else you are considering.
| Range | Box | Meals | Per meal | Flavours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VLCD Classic Shake | $33.00 | 21 | $1.57 | 9 |
| VLCD Platinum Shake | $34.00 | 21 | $1.62 | 6 |
Prices can change without notice, so check the current figure on OptiSlim's own site before you commit. Last read 27 October 2026.
What OptiSlim sells
Four lines, listed on the brand's own site on 16 September 2026: a VLCD range of meal-replacement shakes, an LCD range, low-calorie snacks including bars and soups, and a wellness range that had not been released. On 27 October 2026 the shakes were sold in 21-meal boxes across 9 flavours in the Classic line and 6 in the Platinum line.
The brand states it was established in 2001. We publish no claim here about how much weight anyone loses on it. OptiSlim makes such claims on its own site; whether they apply to you is a question for the practitioner supervising you.
Common questions
- How much does OptiSlim cost?
- A 21-meal box of OptiSlim VLCD Classic Shake lists at $33.00, which works out at $1.57 a meal. The Platinum shake lists at $34.00 for the same 21 meals, or $1.62 a meal. Both figures were checked on OptiSlim's own VLCD collection page on 27 October 2026. Prices change, so check the current figure before you buy.
- Do you need a doctor to use a VLCD?
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the regulator, says very low energy diets "are to be used under the supervision of a medical practitioner and dietitian". FSANZ classes them as food for special medical purposes under Standard 2.9.5 of the Food Standards Code, and says they can be used as a sole source of nutrition for up to 12 weeks. OptiSlim's own VLCD collection page carried no supervision statement when we read it on 27 October 2026. Speak to your GP before starting one.
- What is the difference between OptiSlim VLCD and LCD?
- OptiSlim sells both a VLCD (very low calorie diet) range and an LCD (low calorie diet) range, alongside low-calorie snacks such as bars and soups. The VLCD range is the one that falls under the food for special medical purposes rules described above. That regulatory rule is the main difference between the two ranges.
- Is OptiSlim Australian?
- OptiSlim's own site states the business was established in 2001 and is Australian. We have not independently verified its corporate structure, so treat that as the brand's own statement rather than a checked fact.
- Does Refer Labs earn money from this page?
- Not at the moment. Refer Labs paused its OptiSlim affiliate link on 3 October 2026, so this page carries no link to OptiSlim and nothing on it is paid. Before then we had a Commission Factory link here. We hold no OptiSlim code.
General information only. Nothing here is medical or dietary advice, or a recommendation that a very low energy diet suits you. Australia's food regulator says these products are to be used under the supervision of a medical practitioner and dietitian. Speak to yours before starting one. Figures were read on 27 October 2026 and can change.
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