Best practices for current and futuristic cosmetic claims

The cosmetics industry’s self-regulatory system is an important tool for promoting innovation by adopting a dynamic and flexible approach to rapidly evolving technology and market conditions. As marketing and product presentation plays an important role in the cosmetics industry, various claims linked to cosmetic products are made in order to persuade consumers of their efficacy. Best practices for cosmetic claims must be used and frequently reviewed to protect the consumer, promote fair competition and maintain a positive image of the industry with the continuous development of new products. The difficulty with this approach is ensuring compliance with the common claims criteria on a case-by-case basis.

This presentation addressed the current situation for consumers with regard to claims. With future developments of products in the ‘grey area’, an overview was given on how the consumer could be protected from misleading claims in the industry by providing an outline of possible solutions. We also discussed whether the self-regulatory initiatives are sufficient to protect the consumer from misleading claims and whether there is a need for claims to undergo an authorisation procedure in order to ensure an accurate reflection of product efficacy.