Beiersdorf, the parent company of NIVEA, has clarified that its NIVEA Black & White Invisible Roll-On Deodorant with batch number 93529610, is not available for sale in Nigeria.
Beiersdorf stated this in a statement on Saturday, responding to a safety alert issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the product.
On October 31, the NAFDAC alerted Nigerians to the recall of the product by the European Union’s (EU) rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products (RAPEX) in Brussels.
The agency had earlier stated that Nivea products contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA), stating that a chemical prohibited in cosmetics products due to its ability to cause harm to the reproductive system, impairs the health of an unborn child as well as skin irritation and burns to users.
NAFDAC said the chemical, BMHCA, is prohibited in cosmetic products because it could trigger skin irritation and also affect the reproductive health of its users or an unborn child.
The agency said the product, produced in Germany, is marked ‘48H protection in African climate’, with batch number: 93529610 and bar code number: 42299882.
Product information and compliance
The company disclosed that based on current European legislation, the use of ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned from the European markets as of March 1, 2022.
“We wish to assure our esteemed customers that the Batch No. 93529610 in question has not been marketed in Nigeria and thus never recalled by Beiersdorf, the owner of NIVEA brand, as the legal manufacturer.
“The batch in question, in fact, expired in January 2022 and was hence at the time fully compliant with the then valid European cosmetic regulation,” Beiersdorf’s statement reads.
Commitment to consumer safety
Beiersdorf emphasized its commitment to consumer safety, stating,” As a responsible corporate citizen, Beiersdorf is working collaboratively with NAFDAC to safeguard the interest of the Nigerian consumers by ensuring that our locally manufactured product meets the global quality standards.
“The safety of our consumers remains our highest priority, consistent with our ethical philosophy as a business.”
Proactive reformulation efforts
- To align with the EU regulation, Beiersdorf confirmed that it reformulated its entire NIVEA product portfolio to be Lilial-free ahead of the March 2022 ban.
- For instance, the NIVEA Black & White Invisible Roll-On Deodorant has been free of Lilial since at least 2020, globally, including in Nigeria.
- Beiersdorf said it notified its trade partners early on, urging them to remove any outdated Lilial-containing products within the legal timeframe as required by the European Cosmetic Product Regulation.
