In the current epidemic context, the French General Directorate for Competition and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), recalls that it ensures the effectiveness and safety of hydroalcoholic solutions and gels. On 18 November 2020, it published a progress report on the controls carried out in this area.
As part of its controls, the DGCCRF verifies in particular that the alcohol concentration of hydro-alcoholic solutions and gels is sufficient, through a sampling and control plan for these products at national level.
The DGCCRF specifies that “samples are targeted by the investigators on products for which analyses are most likely to reveal dangers (in particular because of inconsistencies in their packaging, labelling or presentation),” and that consequently, “the rates of anomalies and dangerousness presented are clearly higher than those of products on the market.”
As at 12 November 2020, more than 180 targeted samples of hydro-alcoholic solutions and gels had been taken, 162 of which have already been analysed by the Joint Laboratory Service.
73% of the products analysed to date have been declared either non-compliant (38%) or non-compliant and dangerous (35%).
More specifically, 21 products (13% of the products analysed) were found to have insufficient alcohol content and were therefore found to be non-compliant and dangerous. 36 products (22% of the products analysed), for which the alcohol content was sufficient, were also declared non-compliant and dangerous due to labelling minimising the dangers presented by these products (mainly the danger of their flammability) and 61 products (38%) were found …
