FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Tesia Williams: (202) 297-1232 [email protected]
Team: [email protected]

Statement by the Personal Care Products Council on California Assembly Bill 728

WASHINGTON— Safeguarding young consumers from the pressures of social media and the inappropriate use of cosmetics is extremely important to our member companies. We commend Assemblyman Alex Lee for raising this issue regarding a social media trend among young consumers; however, Assembly Bill (AB) 728 presents significant practical issues with compliance and enforcement.

The Personal Products Council (PCPC) is concerned about the precedent of putting cosmetics in the same age-restricted categories as tobacco, firearms, cannabis and alcohol, and we do not believe a ban on products containing ingredients deemed as safe is warranted.

If enacted, AB 728 will impose new requirements on retail establishments and cashiers to determine two things at the point of sale: whether the individual is under the age of 18 and whether the product they purchase is covered by this bill. This is unlikely to alleviate the impact of current social media trends. AB 728 will also overregulate products and cause confusion among consumers by imposing sales restrictions on a wide variety of safe and effective products, including sunscreens, moisturizers and hygiene products.

PCPC believes that manufacturers, retailers and parents all have a role to play in ensuring that young people use products that are appropriate for their skin. We must collectively find real solutions that genuinely promote well-being and ensure accessibility of cosmetics and personal care products.