Counterfeits abound
in difficult times…
6 Spray September 2020
SPRAY Technology & Marketing
Cynthia Hundley
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Volume 30, No 9, September 2020
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I recently watched a video on YouTube presented by “Noah’s Toylab”—hosted
by a boy around nine years old in a lab coat (with 424 subscribers) who does
“scientific” product reviews. The segment was titled “Lysol REAL VS FAKE???
Don’t be SCAMMED.” The reviewer, wielding a magnifying glass, compares two
different Lysol cans he and his mother picked up while shopping. He believed one
was a fake because the label was written half in French, half in English.
“Hey kid,” I yelled at my monitor. “It’s not counterfeit; it’s Canadian!”
As most SPRAY readers will know, products being sold nationally throughout
Canada need to have information presented in both English and French (with
equal prominence) in accordance with Canadian Consumer Packaging & Labeling
Act & Regulations. If “Noah” and his somewhat indulgent family live near the Canadian
border, it’s logical to assume that they might find a Canadian can of Lysol
for purchase. While I applaud a child’s intellectual curiosity, I cringe at misinformation
being broadcast online as scientific discovery.
On the other hand, “Noah” has cause to be wary of fakes and phonies. Due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, hand sanitizers are now on track to more than double
sales in 2020, according to market research firm Kline & Co. U.S. consumers view
the product as an adequate substitute for hand-washing to protect themselves from
infection and, as a result, established hand sanitizer marketers are facing out-ofstock
issues. This has spurred a new wave of products emerging from a wide range
of adult beverage, personal care and beauty companies.
However, not everyone has been playing fair, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
(FDA) has been increasingly warning consumers to avoid certain alcoholbased
hand sanitizers that have tested positive for methanol contamination. This
has forced major retailers to recall potentially toxic products sold in their stores
and online.
With rising concerns about the safety of these products, now more than ever,
legitimate sellers will feel the need to prioritize ingredient transparency and efficacy
claims on product labeling. Read more about this in Pressure Points on p. 10, as
Owen Caine of the HCPA discusses the challenges of and potential solutions to
counterfeit and illegal disinfecting products being sold online.
A can supplier, a valve supplier and an aerosol filler walk into a bar…
It’s not all bad news when it comes to hand sanitizers. Check out p. 46 to learn
what happens when Ball cans, Lindal valves and Reabrook filling come together
in an altruistic effort to help front-liners in their neighborhoods. It serves as a
reminder that, while there may be a lot of bad actors out there, there are far more
fair dealers and good neighbors in the aerosol industry…
Stay safe,
Commentary
Editorial Director