When I was reviewing Bomb Cosmetics Chocolate Ballotin Assortment I made a reference to the problem that might potentially face with this product. Cosmetics that look like food risk getting pulled up under legislation that forbids non-food products from being made that might fool someone into thinking that they are food. The motivation behind this seems to be to prevent people passing off stuff that isn’t edible as a foodstuff, but the wording could be interpreted as banning any attempt to mimic food.
This is one of those things you have to consider and make a judgement on when you are developing products. There are lots of products out there that have some kind of attribute that could be interpreted as food like. Indeed there are some brands for whom that is a big part of the USP and whose products are all in some way food related. And it is common for people who make soap on a small scale to give it creative touches. When I looked at the Bomb Cosmetics chocolate bath bombs I thought that they were safe enough. In fact what I said was
“Somehow I can’t imagine even the most officious of officials regarding it as remotely worthwhile pursuing a company that makes these kinds of things over this.”
It seems I gave the officials too much credit because I have just noticed that in a recent Rapex report it turns out that Bomb Cosmetics have indeed had to take a product off the market for exactly this reason. It was for a product that if the photo is anything to go by is even less like a food than the one I was talking about.
It is very frustrating to come across stories like this. It is not as if there are any reports of people being harmed by eating soap. Even if they were so convincing that someone put them in their mouth there is no way that their taste buds would make the same mistake as their eyeballs. I hope it doesn’t put people off coming up with inventive and entertaining products. I just don’t see cosmetics that look like food as a problem. I’d hope that Bomb Cosmetics argue their corner on this one. There are plenty of products similar to this around in the UK and I would imagine in Spain as well. I can think of plenty of lines of argument that could be used.
In the meantime, please don’t eat your toiletries. And while we are on the subject, don’t try and wash yourself with a slice of tart.
“Washing with a slice of tart” made me chuckle 🙂