Cosmetic labelling: mandatory information under Regulation 1223/2009
From the INCI list to the PAO, responsible person and warnings: what a cosmetic label must display.
Mandatory information
Article 19 of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 defines what must appear on the container and packaging: name and address of the responsible person, country of origin if outside the EU, nominal content, date of minimum durability or period after opening (PAO), precautions for use, batch number and product function.
The ingredient list must be preceded by the term "Ingredients" and given in INCI nomenclature, in descending order of weight at the time of incorporation.
Minimum durability and PAO
Products with a durability of less than 30 months must show the minimum durability date; those lasting longer show the PAO (the open jar symbol with the number of months).
The choice between date and PAO depends on product stability, documented in the information file.
Allergens and language
Fragrance allergens subject to declaration must be added to the ingredient list when they exceed the set thresholds. Consumer information must be in the language set by the member state of marketing.
How CosmetiCheck helps
CosmetiCheck generates multilingual label drafts consistent with the extracted ingredients and flags allergens to declare. Labels still need verification by qualified staff before use.
Informational content: not legal advice nor a product safety assessment.