Trade Association outlines goals for year ahead
it's commitment to consumer safety in its annual meeting held in
Washington DC last week.
The theme for the meeting "A vision of Beauty Through the Eyes of the Consumer" reflected much of the Council's work in 2007 that focused on consumer safety. The new chairman of the Council, Daniel J Brestle, COO of the Estée Lauder companies, highlighted 2008's goal of bolstering consumer confidence in the industry. Name change and information website The year 2007 saw the association change its name from the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA) to the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) in an attempt to become more consumer orientated. "The Council has undergone an immense transformation in the last several years. We have taken on greater responsibility and significantly expanded our mission to actively demonstrate our commitment to consumers," said Pamela Bailey. In addition the association launched a consumer website www.cosmeticsinfo.org to provide safety information about cosmetic ingredients and the scientific processes behind formulation development. The new website contains information on 13 personal care categories, which includes the 1,500 ingredients most commonly used in personal care products in the US and will be constantly updated. It also contains links to other authoritative bodies within the realms of scientific research on personal care formulation, enabling consumers to cross-reference specific areas. The move comes at a time when the industry is coming under increasing pressure from consumers and lobby groups over the regulation of personal care products. Consumer safety a goal for the coming year In addition to bolstering consumer confidence, Brestle also stated that self-regulation to supplement the FDA and help ensure product safety whilst preserving the freedom to innovate was another goal of the coming year. He asked member companies to continue to support various charity initiatives from the industry such as the 'Look Good…Feel Better' campaign that helps women deal with the appearance-related side effects of breast cancer treatment. In addition, the member companies were asked to continue to support the consumer website launched in 2007.
