Women Make Their Presence Known at Natural Products Expo West

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Women Make Their Presence Known at Natural Products Expo West

Conkle, Kremer & Engel attorneys Heather Laird and Desiree Ho attended the Natural Products Expo West in March 2018, where they encountered product trends emphasizing simple recognizable ingredient formulations, and business trends emphasizing strong women’s influences in ownership and management.  Demonstrating the growing consumer interest in natural and organic products, attendance at this year’s Expo was reported to be the largest ever, exceeding 85,000 visitors to more than 3,500 exhibitors.  CK&E attorneys visited clients’ exhibit booths and met with entrepreneurs in the beauty, food, and beverage industries to help them strengthen their brands, navigate regulatory and labeling issues, and grow their business.

Exhibitors showed strong cross-cultural influences, with many products and flavors from around the world, all emphasizing the trend toward fewer and more recognizable ingredients in simple formulations.  Businesses clearly demonstrated they are responding and catering to the adventurous interests and palates of health-conscious, worldly, and informed consumers.  Countless product lines were customized for consumers committed to paleo, vegan, and gluten-free diets.  Another popular trend is toward products and businesses that are dedicated to championing charitable causes, so consumers can use their purchases to support causes they are passionate about and can feel loyal to brands that are as committed as they are.

Mirroring recent cultural trends, women-owned and managed businesses were very notable throughout the Expo.  Many entrepreneurs proudly advertised their Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certifications.  The WBENC certification “validates that the business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women.”

In the beauty arena, there were a refreshing number of brands actively encouraging women to maintain an open dialogue with the product manufacturer to address issues they regularly face.  The trend of businesses expending great effort to establish dialogue and long-term relationships with their consumers through social media and direct contacts has become clear.  These overlapping trends resulted in prominent presentation of many products “made for women, by women,” ranging from beautifully packaged feminine hygiene products to natural pre-natal and post-natal products promoted as safe for use by pregnant women and around infants.

CK&E attorneys provide full service to businesses in the beauty, food, and beverage industries.  They regularly attend important trade shows to help their clients stay abreast of trends, new regulations, and developments in the law and the marketplace affecting these industries.

 

16
MAR
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Beauty Industry, Brand Protection, Food, Craft Beer and Nutrition, Industries Represented, Intellectual Property, Personal Care Products, Regulatory Compliance

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Beauty Companies Beware: Natural Ingredients May be Subject to Prop 65

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Beauty Companies Beware: Natural Ingredients May be Subject to Prop 65

Personal care product companies are riding the wave of strong consumer interest in “natural” products.  However, going “natural” can come at a cost:  In addition to concerns about drawing consumer claims that the term is being used in a potentially deceptive manner, there are other hidden risks to manufacturers, distributors and resellers of “natural” products. Perhaps surprisingly, a number of chemicals that are commonly found as a natural constituent of plants has been or is about to be classified as “chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer” under California’s Proposition 65.

Pulegone is among the plant extracts found on the Prop 65 list.  Pulegone is a natural constituent of various plants, including mint and other herbs, and of their essential oils.  Pulegone was added to the Prop 65 list on April 18, 2014 as a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, and it became subject to enforcement actions a year later, on April 18, 2015.  Prop 65 bounty hunter Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation wasted no time in sending out a 60-Day Notice of Violation to businesses whose products involve exposure to this chemical.  It only took two days for the first Notice of Violation over exposure to pulegone to be served on businesses around the country.  A Notice of Violation is often a pre-cursor to a lawsuit.  The Notice of Violation claims consumer and occupational exposures to pulegone through use in products of pennyroyal oil.

The requirements of Proposition 65 are deceptively simple – provide a clear and reasonable warning if the use of the product results in an exposure to one or more of the 800+ chemicals on the Prop 65 list of known carcinogens and reproductive toxins.  But the penalties, fees and damage to business reputation for failing to comply can be severe:  Under Proposition 65, the civil penalties for failing to provide a clear and reasonable warning prior to exposure can reach up to $2,500 per violation per day, in addition to payment of an enterprising plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees.  Wherever they are located, manufacturers, distributors and retailers can be liable for Prop 65 violations, and the sale of even one product that may cause an exposure to a Prop 65 chemical is subject to zealous pursuit by Prop 65 plaintiffs.  Businesses are well advised to consult with counsel who are familiar with Prop 65 concerns and can help them proactively get ahead of the Prop 65 curve or successfully resolve claims in the event a Notice of Violation is received.

11
JUL
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Beauty Industry, Personal Care Products, Proposition 65, Regulatory Compliance

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