Danish dermatologist Jorgen Serup will present the discussion entitled ‘Quality and Efficacy in the Documentation of Product Efficacy’, and conference organiser Marie Loden told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com that he will be discussing how marketing behaviours of cosmetics have changed, using the L’Oreal case as the key discussion topic.
L’Oreal court case
L’Oreal is being taken to the Market Court in Sweden for claims about anti-ageing products that the Consumer Ombudsman (KO) says it can’t substantiate, a case that has been ongoing for over a year.
The KO, a government body that can defend the interests of the consumer against companies in court, claims that marketing for L’Oreal’s Lancome High Resolution and Vichy LiftActiv Pro were not backed up by scientific evidence.
According to KO, the Lancome adverts claim the product can smooth out wrinkles by up to 70 per cent, and Vichy is claimed to reduce wrinkles by up to 43 per cent.
Serup will examine the behaviours and the background of marketing cosmetics, and analyse how to substantiate claims.
Conference Programme
The ruling from the trial is not expected by the time the conference commences on 11-12 November, however, Loden is confident the discussion will be extremely useful, as will the rest of the conference which looks at the history and evolution of cosmetics marketing, as well as safety studies.
“I believe it [the conference] will provide the participants with new perspectives on the evolution of the cosmetic industry. It will provide insights into how can we improve the efficacy and safety of our products and retain the consumers trust,” she explained.
The conference, ‘Live and let Die’, will examine the cosmetic industry, its customers, products and the regulation that are all continuously developing.
Loden stated as new innovations and ways to look upon business occur, the older attitudes and behaviours essentially die.
In reference to this theme, Sara Kristoffersson of the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, will open the two day event with a presentation on the historical perspectives within the beauty industry.
As the conference continues, it will look at influences upon production of raw materials and cosmetics, before looking at the evolution of safety and efficacy in the cosmetics market.
The event takes place at Piperska Muren, Scheelegaten 14, Kungsholmen, Stockholm, on 11-12 November.