Chanel No5 faces EU health police ban

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chanel No5 and a host of other perfumes could be banned after EU scientists decided some of the ingredients may cause allergies, Daily Mail reported.

The scent, which has been in production for more than 90 years, contains traces of a tree moss which features on a new list of ingredients thought to be unsafe.

The 100-strong roster was drawn up by a scientific review panel charged with protecting European citizens from potentially harmful substances.

It is feared that other top brands, including Miss Dior, Guerlain’s Shalimar and Angel by Thierry Mugler — could also fall victim to the measures.

Sylvie Jourdet of the French perfumiers’ society said the industry could be devastated, adding: ‘Chanel No 5 has never done any harm to anyone.

‘It is the death of perfume if this continues. The more you use natural ingredients, the more there is a risk of allergies.

‘Lemon, jasmine, bergamot all contain allergenics.

Françoise Montenay of Chanel said: ‘It would be the end of beautiful perfumes if we could not use these ingredients.’

Current legislation specifies 26 ingredients which must be listed on the bottle if used in perfumes.

The panel recommended some on the expanded list of 100 should be banned outright, while others should be limited.

Scientists also want to restrict the use of 12 substances to 0.01 per cent of the product. These include citral, found in lemon and tangerine oils; coumarin, found in tonka beans; and eugenol, a component of rose oil.

A spokesman for the European Commission said there was no plan yet to ban or limit the perfumes. It is nevertheless about to start consulting the industry and consumer groups.