Key takeaways on dupe cosmetics flooding the market & industry action
- Counterfeit cosmetics, especially dupe perfumes, are flooding the market during peak shopping periods.
- FEBEA warns these products often violate safety and regulatory standards, posing serious health risks.
- EU alerts for dangerous products hit record levels this year, with cosmetics topping the list.
- UK watchdogs and consumer groups uncover widespread counterfeits on major platforms.
- Industry urged to promote safe, compliant products and educate consumers on risks.
The French Beauty Industry Federation (FEBEA) has now spoken out against the growing prevalence of counterfeit cosmetics, particularly dupe perfumes, as the cosmetics industry faces a growing problem – linked to organise crime and terrorism.
FEBEA acknowledged that while these dupes are often attractive to shoppers due to their low prices, consumers are exposing themselves to many risks if they use these products. Often they are poor quality or even dangerous, as they are unlikely to adhere to regulatory requirements and therefore could pose a health and safety risk.
While counterfeits are increasingly an issue for the cosmetics industry all year round, FEBEA has spoken out now during the ‘golden quarter’ as cosmetics are in high demand. It noted that, according to a consumer survey conducted by OpinionWay last December, 77% of French people give cosmetics as gifts at least occasionally at Christmas; and perfume remains the number one choice, cited by 69% of respondents.
“The festive season is a key time for our sector. We encourage everyone to choose safe, verified and compliant products from our French manufacturers, distributed through approved distribution channels,” warns Emmanuel Guichard, General Delegate of FEBEA.
FEBEA urges consumers to avoid dangerous cosmetic dupes
The French cosmetics industry body said that Black Friday, Singles’ Day, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are all periods during which cosmetic dupes are massively marketed on social media and various online platforms, particularly certain non-European platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress. Even more traditional-looking websites are not spared.
“These products target both young consumers (Millennials and Generation Z), who are often unaware of the risks, and more informed consumers, who nevertheless fall victim to cleverly concealed deception,” FEBEA said in an official press statement. “These ‘dupe’ products, which can include various categories of cosmetics, are often manufactured and marketed in violation of regulatory requirements concerning hygiene, quality control and labelling.”
The organisation also highlighted that, in some cases, the production and distribution of these products are carried out by organised criminal networks specialising in counterfeiting.
EU and UK authorities ramp up warnings on counterfeit beauty
As Cosmetics Design-Europe previously reported, experts have even revealed that sales of these products are potentially funding other illegal activities such as illegal drug supplies and terrorism.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently issued a warning to LED mask manufacturers and retailers making medical claims about treating skin conditions such as acne and rosacea.
In April, the European Union raised the issue of the dangers of cheap cosmetics being sold on e-commerce sites such as Temu and Shein. EU Commissioner Michael McGrath revealed that the EU has received more than 4,137 alerts for dangerous products over the past year – the highest number since its reporting system was implemented in 2003.
A key driver behind this surge appeared to be the growing volume of goods imported from China, with 40% of the alerts being on goods that originated there.
Cosmetics were the most flagged items – accounting for 36% of all alerts, followed by toys (15%), electrical appliances (10%), motor vehicles (9%) and chemical products (6%).
An incredible 97% of the flagged cosmetics were found to contain BMHCA – a synthetic fragrance linked to reproductive harm and skin irritation that is banned from use in the EU.
Why counterfeit cosmetics pose a growing threat to the industry
In August, UK-based consumer rights champion Which? shared findings of a project whereby its research team purchased 34 cosmetic products from third-party sellers across retail channels such as Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop and Vinted. The products were marketed under brand names including MAC, Charlotte Tilbury, La Roche-Posay, Maybelline and The Ordinary.
The team visually checked both the packaging and formulations to compare them with the genuine products purchased from retailers that they deemed “trusted.” In total, the researchers believed that 23 of the 34 products purchased were likely to be counterfeit (67%).
Broken down by retail channel, this was six out of six bought on Vinted, four out of 11 products ordered on Amazon, eight out of 11 products purchased on eBay, and five out of six products ordered from TikTok Shop.
Which?’s research team highlighted that “many of the dupes were difficult to spot and only became apparent when directly compared with the genuine samples.”
The team also noted that the highly convincing nature of the fake products meant that consumers could easily be caught out, putting their health and wellbeing at risk. For example, they pointed out that a bottle of Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray (RRP £32.99) purchased from Amazon for an inflated price of £37.90 looked the part from the outside, but on closer inspection had a floral scent that was notably different from the genuine sample.
