Share Your Voice: US Labeling

Executive DirectorIndustry Advocacy & News7 Comments

The HSMG has submitted a petition that needs your voice.

In mid-2012, the HSMG submitted a citizen’s petition to the US FDA requesting a change in the law to make a PO box acceptable on cosmetic product labels in lieu of a street address.  The FDA confirmed receipt in August and has been collecting public comments on the petition prior to issuing a response, expected in the first quarter of 2013.

MLK March 2Photo by Flickr member Jeffrey Smith. Used under a Creative Commons License

Current FDA regulations state that the business name and address must be on the product label. The business street address is required unless the business is listed in a printed city directory or telephone directory, in which case only the city, state and zip code are required on the product label.

Why You Care

The issue of being required to put your street address on your product labels has been brought to our attention many times over the past year. The general consensus is that this requirement poses an inconvenience and a safety risk to those with home-based businesses.  Due to safety concerns and changes in the ways consumers search for business info, we believe allowing a PO box on cosmetic labels to be good common sense while mitigating some of the security risks that soapmakers undertake today in publishing their street addresses on product labels.

Share Your Voice

Here’s where we need your help.  The FDA is still collecting comments on this petition, so your thoughts and real-life examples will help determine the future of our PO box request.  Go to the petition here and click “Comment Now!” to submit your comment.

Find out more:

>>For an in-depth explanation, see Anne-Marie’s post on the Soap Queen blog.

>>Read the petition in full here.

Let the FDA know how you feel about the current labeling requirements!

7 Comments on “Share Your Voice: US Labeling”

  1. For safety and security reasons alone this should be
    Done. I have had people show up on my doorstep at the oddest
    Hours. It totally defeats the purpose of a home
    Business.

    1. Thank you, Helen, we couldn’t agree more! (Glad that you haven’t been harmed – it’s frightening to think of what could have happened.)

  2. The home address requirement on cosmetic labels is the sole reason I have not actively pursued starting my own home-based business. I do not feel that I should have to sacrifice my family’s personal safety and security in order to start a home business. I enjoy making soap and I have spent many years developing soapmaking skills. I started researching how to start my own business a few years ago and was shocked to find out that publishing my home address to the entire world was a legal requirement for proper labeling. It seems completely absurd. I am sure I am not the only one who has chosen not to pursue a home business due to this legal safety issue. It will be nice when the legal documents are changed! Thank you for raising this issue with the proper authorities.

  3. I am not a soapmaker, I sell mostly private label products. I’m a single mother and I live with my 8 year old daughter. I feel that having to place my address on all of my packages is a big threat to our safety. I sell well over 100 products on the internet every month and most of them have to have my address on them.

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