EU Working Group: Cosmetics Should Be 'Free From' Denigrating Ingredient Claims

28 Aug 2017

"Paraben-free" claims should not be allowed on cosmetic products because they denigrate the entire ingredient group, including safe options authorized for EU use, a European Commission working group asserts in recently published guidance. It remains to be seen if and how national regulatory authorities implement the guidance and how brands react that have made such claims a core component of their ethos.

A European Commission working group has produced updated guidance advising against use of "free from" claims on cosmetics that are based on a "presumed negative perception" of ingredient safety – for example, "paraben-free."

The technical document on cosmetic claims was developed by a sub-working group, endorsed by the Working Group on...