Beiersdorf, a German multinational company and manufacturer of NIVEA Black & White invisible roll-on deodorant, has said that its product recently flagged by the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been discontinued from 2022 and is not sold or advertised in Nigeria.
The company revealed this in a statement issued in response to a recent security alert by NAFDAC against the sale and distribution of one of the company's products.
The agency had previously warned against the use of Nivea Black and White invisible body deodorant, stating that European authorities had removed it from the market because it allegedly contains harmful chemicals that are banned for use in cosmetic products.
The hazardous chemical is called 2-(4-tert-butylbenzylpropionaldehyde (BMHCA) according to NAFDAC.
NAFDAC said the chemical, BMHCA, is banned in cosmetic products because it could cause skin irritation and also affect the reproductive health of its users or the fetus.
“The recalled Nivea product is said to contain 2-(4-tert-butylbenzylpropionaldehyde (BMHCA), a chemical substance banned in cosmetic products due to its ability to cause damage to the reproductive system, harm the health of the fetus and also as skin irritation and burns for users,” reads part of the statement.
Product not for sale
But Beiersdorf, in a statement on Saturday, said the products have been out of circulation since 2022, so they are not in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
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The multinational cosmetics company said production of NIVEA Black & White invisible roll-on deodorant was suspended in February 2022 “before the BMHCA ban and is fully compliant with EU cosmetic regulations.”
European legislation publicly banned the use of the ingredient 2-(4-tert-butylbenzylpropionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products in March 2022.
Beiersdorf's statement reads in part: “Under current European legislation, the use of the ingredient 2-(4-tert-butylbenzylpropionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned in European markets as of March 1, 2022.
“We wish to assure our esteemed customers that the lot number 93529610 in question has not been placed on the market in Nigeria and has therefore never been withdrawn as a legal manufacturer by Beiersdorf, the owner of the NIVEA brand. In fact, the batch in question expired in January 2022 and was therefore at that time fully compliant with the European cosmetic regulations in force at that time.”
Commitment
Meanwhile, the company has affirmed its commitment to meeting global safety standards and has ensured that its products undergo strict quality checks to meet regulatory requirements.
“Our entire NIVEA portfolio has been reformulated to exclude Lilial long before the EU regulation came into force,” the company said. “NIVEA BLACK & WHITE invisible roll-on deodorant has been free of Lilial since at least 2020, including in Nigeria,” it said.
He noted that he is also collaborating with NAFDAC to ensure proper regulation, adding that he had taken steps to ensure that Nigerian consumers are protected and informed.