EU Survey: Northern European Consider Themselves Better Informed About Chemical Safety and Southern Europeans
A Eurobarometer survey of 28,000 EU citizens undertaken in November–December 2016 shows that fewer than half of the respondents feel adequately informed about the dangers that arise from the chemical ingredients in consumer products. Southern Europeans feel even less informed than Scandinavians do.
EU industry commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska reported on the Results of the Survey in a lecture on June 7 in Helsinki to mark the 10th anniversary of REACH. According to the survey, two of every three respondents are concerned about daily exposure to chemicals that are hazardous to health. Two of three also think that sellers are obligated to provide information on contents. Knowledge about the exact meaning of pictograms on labels was rather lacking. But most respondents had a clear opinion about product safety. The majority trusts products imported from within the EU more than those imported externally. Nevertheless, every other respondent thinks that product safety standards in the EU are not strict enough.
Eurobarometer is a series of public opinion surveys conducted regularly on behalf of the European Commission since 1973.
The EU provides a good summary here.
Ensure the safety of your products. We are here for you: reach@kft.de.
