Latest ruling from EU: hands that do dishes are in danger
Products safely used by generations must carry chemical symbol because they are ‘corrosive’
IT HAS always prided itself on being “mild green” Fairy Liquid, but now it and other washing-up liquids have been branded corrosive by the European Union and required to carry a warning sign.
Washing-up liquids, along with a range of household products, must now carry a chemical test-tube sign, depicting acid burning a hand, to warn consumers of the danger. The signs, quietly introduced at the start of this month, are likely to prompt users into reaching for the Marigolds even though the formula has not changed at all.
Critics claim it is unfair because the EU has lumped products such as washing-up liquid alongside oven cleaner, even though it is diluted when used.
Industry insiders warn that many household names will end up reformulating to get around the off-putting labels, leaving consumers with inferior and more expensive products.
“We could definitely see companies like Fairy reformulating their products because they don’t want to have these labels on the bottle. And the cost of that is likely to be passed on to the consumer,” said Dr Trevor Francis of Byotrol which makes antibacterial products for Boots and Tesco. “The European Union has decided which products are dangerous, often based on dubious trials which companies cannot afford to rerun to see if they would get the same results. You could see a lot of smaller companies going out of business because of the new rules.”
The EU Biocides Regulation covers disinfectants, pest-control products and preservatives, which means that many products fall under its remit. The EU has also banned the chemical poly-hexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) which is used extensively in disinfectants in the food manufacturing industry and hospitals and is even present in Boots’ own hand sanitiser.
Without it, companies fear that the number of cases of norovirus, listeria and campylobacter will jump. Byotrol is trying to come up with a new formula for Boots hand sanitiser that will comply with the regulations, but fear it will not be as effective.
Fairy Liquid is Britain’s leading brand, with 13 million-plus households buying 150 million bottles of it each year. It was launched in 1950 and until 2000 used an image of a baby in a nappy to demonstrate how mild the product was in comparison with other brands. It promised “hands that do dishes feel as soft as your face”.
Procter and Gamble, its owner, said it had no immediate plans to change Fairy Liquid, but that it would consider altering the formula if customers wanted it. “We continue to listen to the needs of our consumers and improve our products to ensure safety, performance and value,” said a spokesman.
“Consumers can be fully reassured that there is no change in the safety and environmental profile of our product.
“The symbols and wording are there to draw consumer attention to the fact that cleaning products need to be handled properly. Consumers are not at risk provided they use the product following the instructions provided.”