Written on: October 17, 2014 by SprayTM
S.C. Johnson announced plans to voluntarily identify and disclose to consumers fragrance ingredients used in the company’s air care products.
Labeling guidelines under the FDA’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act currently allow manufacturers to use “fragrance” as a blanket term for up to about 50 ingredients. S.C. Johnson will be the first major global company to publicly identify them in its products.
Starting next Spring, consumers will be able to visit a website (WhatsInsideSCJohnson.com) and find, “a range of 10 to 50 fragrance ingredients, on average,” according to a statement from the company. Either the top 10 highest-concentration ingredients, or all ingredients making up at least 0.1% of a product’s formulation, will be made available.
Recent findings suggest that some fragrance ingredients used in consumer products can cause irritation or allergic reactions in users. A 2009 study from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) found that 30.5% of Americans experienced some level of skin irritation or headaches when exposed to scented products.
A significant change designed to promote transparency and build consumer trust, the disclosure effort will begin with air care products in the U.S. and Canada before expanding to Europe and then on to other product categories, such as household care.
