BRC: REACH is an opportunity to build trust in chemicals

Monday, 12, Dec 2005 12:00

As EU Ministers are set to arrive at an agreement on REACH tomorrow, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has today called on them to ensure the forthcoming legislation is based on three key principles:

Duty of care, for the whole supply chain from chemical manufacturer to retailer

A right to know, to provide a more transparent framework for obtaining information on chemicals in consumer products.

Substitution, to ensure that safer alternatives are considered before authorisation is granted.

The BRC has been working closely with its members and officials in Brussels and London over the last few years, to improve the workability of REACH - the new legislation designed to ensure chemicals in products are safe for consumers to use.

BRC Director of CSR, Nigel Smith, commented: “We believe that chemicals are vital to the production of high quality, innovative and value for money consumer products but they must be used in a manner that our customers and other stakeholders trust. We see REACH as an opportunity to rebuild consumer trust and confidence in chemicals.

“By ensuring these principles are met, not only will it improve trust in chemicals used in consumer products, but it will also lead to better and more dynamic links between retailers, chemical manufacturers and processors. These links are vital if business in the EU is to be innovative and cost effective in a global market place.”