Italy probes Sephora, LVMH for pushing beauty gross sales to minors

Italian competitors regulators, AGCM [1], mentioned on Friday, March 27, they’ve opened a probe into French luxurious group LVMH and its Sephora and Profit subsidiaries in Italy for selling skincare merchandise to minors, together with kids below 10 or 12 years of age, and youngsters.

“The investigations have been opened over issues that essential data — akin to warnings and precautions for cosmetics not meant for, or examined on, minors — could have been omitted or offered in a deceptive method,” the AGCM competitors authority mentioned in a press release. The Sephora Assortment and Profit Cosmetics traces are on the core of the investigation.

The businesses are suspected of getting “adopted a very insidious advertising and marketing technique, involving very younger micro-influencers who encourage the compulsive buy of cosmetics amongst younger folks, a very susceptible group”.

The AGCM mentioned the merchandise being pushed are primarily face masks, serums and anti-ageing lotions.

In a press release to AFP, the businesses mentioned they’d “absolutely cooperate” with the authorities and “reaffirmed their strict compliance with the related Italian rules”.

Whereas not unlawful to promote such merchandise to under-age clients, the AGCM mentioned “the frequent and mixed use of a variety of cosmetics by minors, with out correct consciousness, could also be dangerous to their well being”.

Sephora and LVMH premises in Italy have been raided on Thursday, March 26, in response to the AGCM. The businesses might face substantial fines.

Stephanie Mallet, president of the French Society for Pediatric Dermatology, informed AFP that the investigation was “essential”.

“It’s not regular to permit one thing that has no profit for the kid and might even be dangerous for revenue,” Mallet mentioned.

“After I hear folks speaking about ’skincare’ and wonder routines for kids, it makes me livid, as a result of a baby’s pores and skin doesn’t want something. It’s neither too dry, nor too oily, nor too purple, nor too wrinkled. It completely doesn’t want something aside from washing with water and a delicate cleanser,” she insisted.