Free To Say ‘No’?
What’s in that bottle?
How do you know what’s in the toiletries and cosmetics you buy? Chances are the label and the packaging are the first things you look at to check if your product is free from ingredients of concern such as parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, silicones, synthetic fragrances and colours and GM and nano ingredients.
There are, however, moves afoot within the EU to amend Article 20 of the Cosmetics Directive EC 1223/2009 to ban claims like ‘No’ and ‘Free From’ not only on product labels but on press and marketing materials, websites and leaflets – basically anything that a customer can read.
This is one of those sneaky amendments to existing regulations that tries to come in under most companies’ and customers’ radar and it could significantly affect how informed your choice is when you buy a cosmetic product, not to mention impact the businesses of organic and natural brands which after all are driving innovation in, and act as the ethical heart of, the cosmetics industry.
The amendment is being pushed in part by big companies who feel it denigrates their products when an organic or natural brand publicises the fact that it DOESN’T contain the kind or potentially harmful ingredients you find in most mainstream brands.
My friends at Neal’s Yard Remedies have decided to push back and lobby the European Commission to abandon this proposed amendment. They’ve asked me to head up a campaign for them which aims to help shift the Commission’s view. The campaign should be of interest to all organic and natural beauty brands but also to customers who value the right to make an informed choice without having to spend an hour standing in front of the shampoo section of the supermarket!
You can read more about the proposal at NYR Natural News (which I edit). See also this news story – just out – at Natural Products magazine.
There will be a special editorial by Neal’s Yard Remedies owner Peter Kindersley in the June edition of Natural Products explaining more about NYR’s objections to the proposed amendment. Make sure you get hold of a copy and watch this space!
