In April, the UK Government announced several changes to the UK Cosmetics Regulation – some are already official, some are still at draft stage. Below is a summary to help companies navigate the changes.
The amendments will affect regulatory compliance in England, Wales, and Scotland. On the other hand, in Northern Ireland, the EU rules continue to apply after Brexit.
Restriction on Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
BHT has been added to the list of restricted substances – Annex III to the UK Cosmetics Regulation. According to the new entry, BHT shall meet the following concentration limits:
- Up to 0.1% in toothpaste
- Up to 0.001% in mouthwash and leave-on oral care products
- Up to 0.8% in other leave-on and rinse-off products
These new restrictions will apply from 24 February 2025, for new products to enter the UK market, and from 24 June 2025, for cosmetics already on the market.
Upcoming restrictions
The UK also intends to restrict the use of Kojic Acid up to a maximum concentration of 1% in face and hand products. Moreover, the UK will ban 52 cosmetic substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction (CMR). In light of this, the UK Government released a draft regulation containing the above changes. The draft is expected to be adopted on 25 June 2024. After the adoption, the cosmetic industry will have some months to comply with the new requirements.
What do you have to do?
If you are selling cosmetics in the UK market, you should perform the following actions to ensure continuous regulatory compliance of your products:
- Contact your UK Responsible Person that will advise you on the best way to proceed.
- Check whether your products contain any of the substances affected by the new restrictions.
- If any of your products is impacted by these regulatory changes, you might need to reformulate, reassess and your UK RP will re-notify your cosmetics.
- Inform your supply chain and ensure that non-compliant products will be removed from shelves by the deadline foreseen in the law.
Regulatory compliance is a continuous process. Thus, our advice is to engage the services of a professional entity that can help you stay up-to-date with the latest regulatory changes and take timely action.
Do you need help with regulatory compliance of cosmetic products in the United Kingdom, European Union, or United States? Contact us today! And check COSlaw.eu for regular updates on the EU and UK Cosmetics Regulations.
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