Sweden: Pharmacy chain bans sale of anti-wrinkle creams to under-15s

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In Sweden, a chain of pharmacies has announced that it is imposing an age limit on the sale of certain anti-aging products. Only customers over 15 years old will be able to obtain them.

© Poko Skincare – Unsplash – Apotek Hjärtat, has decided to limit the sale of anti-wrinkle creams to people under 15 years old

Many young girls use and abuse anti-aging creams when they are under 20 years old. However, some specialists warn against the use of these creams because, used too early, these can cause the opposite effect and accelerate skin aging. It is in this context that a chain of pharmacies in Sweden, Apotek Hjärtat, has decided to limit the sale of anti-wrinkle creams to people under 15 years old or to impose on them the authorization of their parents. This initiative aims to counter the early and inappropriate use of these products, encouraged by influencers on social networks. The products concerned are anti-aging serums containing ingredients such as citric, glycolic and salicylic acids, vitamin A (retinol) and C. A phenomenon encouraged by beauty influencers which abound on social networks, reports West France March 21th.

«As a major distributor of skin care products and as a pharmacy operator, we want to take responsibility», Declared CEO Monika Magnusson on Thursday in a message to AFP, estimating that “Young people today use skin care products in unhealthy and unnecessary ways“. Apotek Hjärtat’s chief pharmacist insists that skin care must be adapted to individual needs and does not serve an ideal of beauty. «Everyone’s skin care needs are unique and depend on skin type and condition, not age», she adds. The move has been welcomed by customers and pharmacy employees, who hope it will encourage important conversations about beauty standards and ideals.

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Soon a European regulation?

The implementation of this age limit has already inspired other Swedish companies such as Lyko and Kicks to consider similar measures. The Swedish Medical Products Agency is calling for concerted action at EU level to regulate the concentration of retinol in anti-aging products. A European regulation planned for summer 2024 will propose limiting the concentration of this component to 0.3% in over-the-counter products.

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