March 27 (Reuters) - The Italian competition authority AGCM said on Friday it had launched two investigations into LVMH-owned entities in Italy, citing unfair commercial practices linked to the
Italy investigates Sephora over marketing cosmetics to children
Regulatory scrutiny of Sephora's marketing practices in Italy
March 27 (Reuters) - Make-up retail giant Sephora is under investigation in Italy over marketing adult beauty products to children, which the Italian competition authority says is fuelling an obsession with skincare among minors, including some under 10 years old.
Concerns over use of micro-influencers and impact on minors
The authority, AGCM, said it was the first European regulator to open an investigation over concerns that LVMH-owned brands Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics are using very young micro-influencers on social media to promote premature use of adult cosmetics. This, it said, is encouraging compulsive purchasing of face masks, serums and anti-ageing creams, behaviours it linked to "cosmeticorexia" - an unhealthy fixation with skincare among minors.
Company response to investigation
Sephora, Benefit Cosmetics, and LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics Italy said in a statement that they "operate in strict compliance with the applicable regulations” and will fully cooperate with the authorities. They declined to give any further comment.
The "Sephora Kids" trend on social media
Sephora, which has more than 20 million Instagram followers and 2.1 million followers on TikTok, has been at the centre of the "Sephora Kids" social media trend, which documents children making cosmetic "smoothies" in stores and sharing their skincare routines or Sephora "haul" purchases in videos.
Viral content and young consumers
The "Haul from Sephora for Kids" tag on TikTok shows hundreds of videos of children as young as five buying make-up and skincare products in Sephora stores.
Regulatory concerns and health implications
"The investigations were opened over concerns that important information – such as warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors – may have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner," AGCM said in a statement, adding that children under the age of 10 to 12 were among those the brands are targeting.
Potential health risks for minors
Frequent use of a wide range of cosmetics by minors without proper awareness may be harmful to their health, the regulator said.
Inspections and ongoing investigation
AGCM officials and the Italian financial police carried out inspections at the premises of Sephora Italia, LVMH Profumi e Cosmetici Italia and LVMH Italia on Thursday, the authority said.
(Reporting by Enrico Sciacovelli and Helen Reid, Editing by Barbara Lewis, Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton)
