5 shampoos sold in Hong Kong found to contain chemicals banned in EU
Consumer Council urges people to identify cause of dandruff to avoid using unsuitable products that may aggravate the problem
Five anti-dandruff shampoos sold in Hong Kong contain substances banned in the EU for being potentially harmful to fetuses and reproductive systems, the consumer watchdog has found.
The Consumer Council on Monday said while the level of substances did not violate any Hong Kong rules, it urged residents to identify the cause of their dandruff issues and avoid using unsuitable products that might aggravate the problem after it found four of 25 anti-dandruff shampoo brands it tested contained zinc pyrithione (ZPT). The chemical has been prohibited under the EU Cosmetics Regulation since March 2022.
A fifth product was found to contain a fragrance substance prohibited in the European Union. One of the four shampoos that contained ZPT also tested positive for the banned fragrance substance.
The five brands are Hair Corner, Mentholatum, Petal Fresh Pure, Clear and Philip B. The Post has contacted the companies for comment.
Products such bas Klorane’s “Anti-Dandruff Rebalancing Shampoo with Galangal” scored top marks without the presence of the controlled products or fragrances.
Sebamed’s anti-dandruff shampoo also performed well, despite showing trace amounts of the synthetic musk galaxolide, at 0.0097 per cent.
