Safe Pet Cosmetics Certification
Cosmetics for animals, Bureau Veritas finally fills the regulatory gap
The Safe Pet Cosmetics specification puts an end to the absurd equivalence with car wash detergents.
The production of cosmetic products for animals is the subject of a constantly increasing market, both for volumes and diversification, in the context of a growing attention to animals. Despite the increasing importance of various types of cosmetics for animals, to date there is no specific legislation regulating these products, contrary to what can be seen in the field of drugs and medical devices. These products are in fact classified as free sale products and therefore treated as generic chemical products such as detergents for car, without any real protection (in the composition and therefore in safety) to the animals to which they are intended for. And if it’s true that the activity is not yet regulated, the responsibility of the companies and their image are directly involved.
“To date, there is no specific legislation regulating cosmetics for animals. Therefore, in general, we refer to the criteria for consumer protection such as the EU directive on free sale products, the current regulations on chemicals (labeling) and those relating to the criticality of cosmetics, a highly regulated category. – says Sara Palombella, Pharma & Cosmetics Product Leader of Bureau Veritas Italy – This creates a paradox: on one hand, cosmetics for animals are classified among chemical products, comparable to the detergent for cars; on the other, companies that operate in this sector, to prove the high standard of their product, use the same indication on the label of cosmetics for humans, even if they are not, creating great confusion in consumers who see products for animals indistinguishable from those ” humans “.
“The current situation shows an obvious gap is that the current legislation. In this way neither the health of animals nor the people one is protected” adds Sara Palombella.
To deal with this contradiction in a pet cosmetics market that has been recording double-digit growth for years, Bureau Veritas Italia, currently the only body recognized and authorized to issue this certification, has collaborated together with Angel Consulting, with the involvement of regulatory and toxicological skills, both in human and veterinary field, to draft the “Safe Pet Cosmetics” specification.
This specification aims to enhance corporate conduct that guarantees safety of cosmetic products for animals comparable to what is expected for humans and promotes the engagement to spread the culture of animal protection with an appropriate certification.
Bureau Veritas Italia conducted the verification of compliance with the Specification and issued the first “Safe Pet Cosmetics” certificate to the Tuscan company Iv San Bernard.
Iv San Bernard is today, all over the world, synonymous with quality for over 26 years, it is involved in the field of animal cosmetics and has developed 14 cosmetic lines for dogs and cats, for a total of 250 different products that are sold in more than 40 countries.
Thanks to this certification, Iv San Bernard has acquired the right to use the “Safe Pet Cosmetics” mark on certified products.
