J&J advances fragrance transparency

J&J announced the fragrance transparency policy update this month, explaining in a statement on the company’s news page that “the iconic and beloved brand, trusted by pediatricians worldwide, just stepped up that commitment [to “safely care…for little ones”] even more by disclosing 100% of the ingredients in its baby products—including those found in fragrances.” ​

“Fragrance,” ​the company acknowledges, “has long been considered a trade secret, but Johnson's recognizes that today’s parents will feel even more confident in a product if they know 100% of the ingredients.”​

Activist support​

J&J boasts having the support of the EWG environmental advocacy group, describing the new fragrance disclosure initiative as “such a noteworthy and industry-leading pledge that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has taken note.”​

In a statement posted last Wednesday on that group’s website, EWG president Ken Cook says, “we applaud Johnson & Johnson’s move to greater transparency in the personal care product market,”​ adding that “the industry giant is raising the bar for other companies to disclose chemical ingredients on labels and online, especially for products marketed for babies and children.”​

And in an item by Tammy Lovell on ChemicalWatch.com​, Bobbi Wilding, director of the US Getting Ready for Baby coalition, is quoted as saying, “Provided that the company includes all fragrance ingredients, J&J are modeling the kind of transparency that parents deserve….Full transparency empowers parents to see for themselves that products are free of chemicals of concern. We look forward to all companies moving in this direction.”​

Business backing ​

The new J&J initiative means that fragrance ingredients used in its baby care products will be listed online and that those present in baby care formulations at or above .01% concentration will be listed on the product page.

Consumers; independent brands and suppliers; and advocacy groups are redefining ingredient strategies. And more CPG companies are making changes to their fragrance disclosure / transparency policies as a result. Companies like SC Johnson have been altering their strategies over the years to keep up with expectations, as Cosmetics Design reported in July​.

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.