Here are the common compliance criteria for both the EU and the UK which are to be followed to market your Cosmetics.
- Legal Compliance
- TruthFullness
- Evidential Support
- Honesty
- Fairness
- Informed Decision Making
1)Legal Compliance
A cosmetic product is allowed on the Union Market without any governmental approval.
Hence claims indicating approval by a government authority within the Union are not allowed. Also, the CE Mark cannot be used as this would give the perception that they are under a regulatory regime other than the Cosmetic Product Regulation.
Example:
(i) The Claim : This product complies with EU cosmetic legislation is not allowed since all products placed on the EU Market must comply.
(ii)If the substance ‘x’ is already banned in the market and your claim states that the cosmetic is free from ‘x’, then it is not allowed to sell in the market.
2)TruthFullness
If a product claims that it contains a specific ingredient, then it should be deliberately present. The substantial correctness of the claim should be there.
Example: A product claiming that it contains honey should contain honey, not honey flavor.
Suppose scientific evidence has concluded that a certain benefit will be there for a 1-day duration. Then claiming a 2-day duration is not adhering to truthfulness.
3)Evidential Support
All claims made in the material should be backed by evidential support.
It is mentioned that “Claims for cosmetic products, whether explicit or implicit, should be supported by adequate and verifiable evidence regardless of the types of evidential support used to substantiate them including where appropriate expert assessments.”
It is the responsibility of the responsible person to check that Appropriate scientific methodologies are used to provide substantial evidence of claims.It is also reviewed by relevant authorities as part of their market surveillance check process.
There is an exception of “hyperbolic claims” which are allowed like “this fragrance floats you in the air”.No average consumer will take it literally and expect to be floated in the air.
4)Honesty
Honesty with the end consumers helps you earn and sustain the trust for long-term customer loyalty. If the action of a product is linked to specific conditions such as use in association with other products, this should be clearly stated.
Example: If the claimed benefit of a product is associated with the combined use of another substance, then it should be specified.
5)Fairness
The Claims should be to the point and should not belittle any competitors or any ingredients legally used. The main aim is to not create confusion with the product of a competitor.
Example: Low in allergens because without preservatives is unfair because it assumes that all Preservatives are allergenic.
6)Informed Decision Making
The Claims should be simple enough to be understood by an average end-user to make an informed decision of a purchase. The capacity of that particular geography to comprehend the information should be taken into account before finalizing the material.
If the product is targeting professionals, it might be appropriate to use technical
language. Similarly, if it is targeted towards children, it should use simple words.
So these were the common factors that should be taken care of while crafting the claims for your cosmetic product to be sold legally inside the European Union and the UK. There are some minor differences between some specific laws of both countries.You can inquire for your specific products and we will be happy to assist you in getting to know the exact requirements for your cosmetic product’s claims.
