Hand sanitisers and rubs containing alcohol available commercially for consumer use; ESSENTIAL OILS AND RESINOIDS; PERFUMERY, COSMETIC OR TOILET PREPARATIONS (HS 33); SOAP, ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS, WASHING PREPARATIONS, LUBRICATING PREPARATIONS, ARTIFICIAL WAXES, PREPARED WAXES, POLISHING OR SCOURING PREPARATIONS, CANDLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, MODELLING PASTES, 'DENTAL WAXES' AND DENTAL PREPARATIONS WITH A BASIS OF PLASTER (HS 34)

Consumer Goods (Cosmetics) Information Standard 2020 (12 pages) (12 page(s), in English)

The ACCC is reviewing the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Information Standards) (Cosmetics) Regulations 1991 (the information standard). The information standard requires that products supplied as cosmetics provide, either on the packaging or the cosmetics container, a list of ingredients contained in the product in descending order by volume or mass. This list allows consumers to make informed choices about the contents of the product to ensure safe use.

Hand sanitisers and rubs are categorised as cosmetics under the information standard. Hand sanitisers and rubs containing alcohol are only effective in getting rid if bacteria and microorganisms if they contain a minimum of 60% alcohol. Currently there are no mandatory requirements for suppliers to list the alcohol content of the product. In addition as these alcohol based products have certain safety risks due to their potential flammability and ingestion or use hazards (especially for children), warnings relating to these safety issues are considered desirable.

These additional requirements will not apply to hand sanitisers made to the World Health Organisation formula, or where the hand sanitiser is classed as a therapeutic good by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, or to a hand sanitiser which does not contain alcohol.

The new legislative instrument will amend the information standard and include requirements for information on alcohol content and usage warnings.