Recalled Nivea deodorant product not sold in Nigeria, says producer

Beiersdorf, a manufacturing firm, says the Nivea BlACK&WHITE Invisible roll-on deodorant (50 ml), with batch number 93529610, is not on sale in Nigeria and has never been marketed in the country.

Beiersdorf spoke in a statement on Saturday, responding to a safety alert issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the product.

On October 31, the NAFDAC alerted Nigerians to the recall of the product by the European Union’s (EU) rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products (RAPEX) in Brussels.

The Nigerian agency said the recalled Nivea product contains 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde) (BMHCA), a chemical prohibited in cosmetics products due to its ability to harm the reproductive system, impair the health of an unborn child, cause skin irritation, and cause burns to users.

Produced in Germany, NAFDAC said the product is marked ‘48H protection in African climate’, with batch number: 93529610 and bar code number: 42299882.

Citing the current European legislation in response to NAFDAC’s warning, Beiersdorf said the use of the ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been “banned from European markets since 1 March 2022”.

“We wish to assure our valued customers that Batch No. 93529610 has not been marketed in Nigeria and has therefore never been recalled by Beiersdorf, the owner of the NIVEA brand, as the official manufacturer,” the firm’s management said.

Beiersdorf noted that the batch in question expired in January 2022 and was fully compliant with the European cosmetic regulations at the time.

The company said it is working closely with the NAFDAC to protect Nigerian consumers by ensuring locally produced items meet global quality standards.

The manufacturer also said all their products have been reformulated to be Lilial-free, in line with the regulations since March 2022.

“The safety of our consumers remains our highest priority, in line with our ethical business values,” the company said.

“In pursuit of this commitment, all NIVEA product formulations have been updated to be Lilial-free, fully compliant with the EU Regulation on cosmetic products well in advance of the Lilial ban, effective 1 March 2022.

“For example, the formulation of NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant has been Lilial-free since at least 2020 worldwide, including Nigeria.”

The firm stated that all trade partners were informed in advance and reminded of their duty to remove outdated Lilial-containing products within the legal timeframe to meet European cosmetic product regulation requirements.