Beiersdorf CEO Says EU Cosmetics Industry Is ‘Overburdened’ with Regulations

Beiersdorf CEO Vincent Warnery shared concerns around the effect of heightened regulations within the European cosmetics market.

In an interview distributed by Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Berlin, Germany, Warnery warned that Europe’s cosmetics industry could lose its leading position if the industry becomes “overburden[ed]” with regulations.

He stated that skin care products in Europe already operate under some of the world’s toughest quality standards, which is why he has questioned requirements to remove certain ingredients that he said “pose no risk under normal conditions of use.”

Warnery also argued in the interview that cosmetics companies in markets outside of the EU, including the US, China and South Korea, tend to face fewer regulatory burdens. 

Warnery said:

“Europe must tread very carefully, particularly when we look at the US, China and Korea, where many of these rules do not apply. Skin care products from Europe are already subject to the strictest quality standards… Nevertheless, we are being asked to remove certain ingredients from our formulations, even though they pose no risk when used as intended.”

This is not the first time Warnery has commented on the increasing regulatory burden in the EU beauty industry, and its potential impact on innovation and investment.

Earlier this year, Warnery was among beauty leaders, including L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus, calling for policymakers in Europe to ‘stop being the world’s chief regulator and start becoming its chief innovator’ to safeguard the €180 billion beauty industry.