Post date: Nov 19, 2012 8:17:4 PM
Perfume-makers fear a possible European Commission legislation to restrict natural ingredients linked to allergies, could kill top fragrances.
GRASSE, FRANCE (REUTERS) - Perfume-makers are urging the European Commission to back down from possible legislation they fear could kill top fragrances by restricting natural ingredients linked to allergies.
Luxury brands fear the EU could force them to change formulas across the 18.9 billion euro ($24.3 billion) premium fragrance industry, altering some of the world's most iconic scents, such as Chanel No. 5, created in 1921.Hundreds of perfumes, including Miss Dior and many Guerlain scents, would have to be reformulated if the EU executive turns into law the recommendations issued in July by the advisory Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety.
Companies say the scents of leading brands would never smell the same, and perfume-creators would be left in future with a much smaller palette of ingredients as the committee recommended restricting the concentration of 12 substances - including citral, found in lemon and tangerine oils or coumarin, found in tropical tonka beans; and eugenol, found in rose oil - to 0.01 percent of the finished product.
"These 12 substances here will force us to change a certain number of formulas because we will no longer be in line with the regulations, if the new regulations are to be voted on as they are," said Yvan Andre, regulatory affairs manager at perfume-maker Technico-Flor in Grasse.
"It's a catastrophe because certain molecules, whether they are natural or artificial are not at all replaceable," Andre added
The committee estimates 1-3 percent of people in Europe are allergic or potentially allergic to ingredients found in perfumes - a number it considers high enough to justify concern.
But perfume-makers say it is up to consumers to judge whether a perfume is suitable for them or not, by reading the list of ingredients on the label.
"Because currently we have regulations in place that list 26 substances as allergens on the packaging. And the consumer who knows he is allergic to so and so substance can read the packaging and simply does not buy the product. It's as simple as that," Andre added.
The EU Commission's health and consumer Directorate General said it was in talks with all concerned parties, including perfume-makers, to assess the SCCS's recommendations and potential impact on the industry.
The impact would be felt by big luxury groups such as LVMH, which owns Dior and Guerlain, right down to hundreds of small plant growers around the world.
Any new laws curtailing the use of natural scents would also impact fragrance-producers such as Givaudan and Firmenich as well as Germany's Symrise, Japan's Takasago and Robertet in France's scents-producing town of Grasse.
Industry sources say they expected regulatory proposals by January 2014. However the Commission declines to comment on a timeframe for possible legislation.