Breaking: Health Canada Shifts Fragrance Allergen Concentration Disclosure from “Mandatory” to “Optional”
On March 9, 2026, Health Canada announced a pivotal adjustment to the upcoming fragrance allergen disclosure requirements for cosmetics, offering significantly greater flexibility to the industry. Core Change: Concentration Reporting Moves from “Mandatory” to “Optional” Important Exception: Concentrations Still Required for “Hotlist” Ingredients Please note that this “relaxation” policy does not apply to all substances! If a fragrance allergen is also classified as a restricted substance on the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, and its restriction is tied to specific concentration limits (e.g., Eucalyptus, Camphor, Methyl Salicylate), companies are still mandated to provide the exact concentration or the corresponding concentration range code in the CNF. Effective Date and Enforcement Timeline This provides businesses with a one-year “buffer period” to adapt their internal processes to the new requirements. Next Steps for Businesses Health Canada expects to update the CNF during the next system upgrade to allow for the submission of specific fragrance allergens […]