Faced with shortages, manufacturers had seized the services of Bercy in the spring to request authorization to modify the recipes.
The State, which had authorized manufacturers at the end of April to temporarily modify the composition of certain food products to replace sunflower oil hit by shortages after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, is doing the same for cosmetics, according to a statement Wednesday.
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The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) announced in a press release that it would “grant a limited number of temporary exemptions from certain labeling requirements“, for the manufacturers of cosmetic products which should modify their composition “in a period of time incompatible with the printing of new packaging“. This measure is intended toguarantee the continuity of supply of the products concerned“, explains the DGCCRF, which says to ensure “safety and proper consumer information“. After examining the professionals’ request, it may grant an exemption for a maximum period of six months, the time required to conform the packaging to the new composition of the product.
Ensuring consumer safety
In the meantime, with a tolerance period of three months, manufacturers will have to indicate on the packaging that a change in recipe has taken place, without necessarily specifying which one. For food products, for example, some bear the words “DEROG», which indicates a change in recipe which consumers will be able to find out about on the DGCCRF website. Changes to recipes can only be made if they do not endanger consumer safety and in the event of proven supply difficulties. If claims that play a key role in consumer choice (such as “organic», «natural origin», «vegan» or mentions of the content of such and such an ingredient, DGCCRF list) are present on the packaging and would no longer be true following the change in recipe, they must be modified explicitly.
Read alsoShortage of sunflower oil: what alternatives for consumers?
The area of the DGCCRF site listing recipe changes in food had nearly 4000 references concerned on Wednesday afternoon: crisps, sauces, processed products, prepared fish or desserts for example. Sunflower is also present in many products, such as chocolates, in the form of lecithin, an additive.
The industrialists had seized the services of Bercy in the spring to alert about the tensions of supply of sunflower oil, and to request authorization to modify the recipes. Ukraine, which provided 50% of the world trade in sunflower oil, is no longer able to export it because of the war which has led to a blockage of its ports.