Forever Living’s €3 “Support Fee” and Shipping Hike: Why Small Fees Matter in MLMs

Forever Living has quietly introduced a €3 “FBO Support Fee” and increased shipping costs by €0.50 in European markets.

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At first glance, these changes might seem trivial. But from an anti-MLM perspective—and in light of Forever Living’s own income disclosure—these are not small matters. They’re red flags.

The €3 “Support Fee”: A Subtle Pay Cut

Forever now deducts up to $3 per month from bonuses for FBOs at the Assistant Supervisor level or above, but only when a bonus is earned. This is branded as a “support fee,” supposedly to help cover operational costs and access to the basic FLP360 platform.

But let’s be clear: this is a pay cut, not a support system.

• It’s automatic. You don’t choose whether to pay it.

• It’s regressive. The less you earn, the more it hurts.

• It shifts costs to the downline. Forever doesn’t absorb system or platform costs—they pass them down.

In fact, if your bonus is less than $3, they’ll just take your entire bonus. And if you earn nothing, you get charged nothing—not because they’re generous, but because there’s nothing left to take.

A Pyramid That Charges You to Climb It

Forever’s own 2024 disclosure shows that 69.3% of U.S. FBOs earned nothing at all, and among those who did earn:

• The median annual income was $43.94.

• The bottom half of earners received $0.02 median income.

• Even among the top 50%, average income was only $3,640.35 per year—before expenses.

If you’re in the lower half and barely earning bonuses, a €3 fee is not trivial. It can erase your payout entirely. And let’s not forget:

• €0.50 more on every shipping order

• Optional but encouraged upgrades to FLP360 Pro (€8–€10/month)

• Costs of samples, training, and travel

Together, these “optional” or “small” costs add up quickly. For many, they exceed the income they ever earn from Forever.

The Business Where You Pay to Work

Forever Living loves to call FBOs “independent business owners.” But ask yourself:

• Can you control your pricing?

• Can you decide not to pay the €3 fee?

• Can you choose not to use FLP360 and still compete?

No. You’re not an independent business owner—you’re a glorified customer on a commission plan. And with every new “support” fee and shipping hike, the illusion becomes harder to maintain.

It’s About Control, Not Support

This fee isn’t about helping you. It’s about:

• Covering Forever’s operational costs without lowering their margins

• Keeping FLP360 infrastructure sustainable without corporate investment

• Conditioning FBOs to accept deductions quietly

They didn’t lower product prices. They didn’t improve commissions. They just found another way to make the downline pay.

So Is It Worth Complaining About? Absolutely.

This isn’t just a “tiny fee”—it’s a warning sign:

• MLMs often introduce small fees to test resistance.

• If no one pushes back, more fees follow.

• Silence gives them permission to take more next time.

This €3 deduction and €0.50 hike might not break the bank, but it reveals the exploitative nature of the system. The burden always falls on the distributor. The company always wins. And the vast majority of FBOs lose money or barely break even.

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Final Word: It’s Not Just a Fee—It’s a Red Flag

If you’re in Forever Living and starting to feel the squeeze, it’s not your fault. The numbers prove this model is stacked against you. And with these new deductions, the company just made it a little harder to deny.

You shouldn’t have to pay to be paid.