Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority Bans Over 100 Cosmetic Products

Some of these skin bleaching creams on the Rwandan market (file photo).
18 September 2023

Rwandasd Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) on Monday, September 18 released a list of banned products including over 130 types of body lotions, soaps and creams that contain prohibited ingredients.

The list includes cosmetic products that contain skin whitening agents and chemicals such as hydroquinone, kojic acid, steroids and mercury.

Rwanda FDA announced that the importation and distribution of the named products will not be allowed.

The agency added that any cosmetic product not mentioned on the list but which contains the prohibited ingredients or contains maximum tolerable concentration was also banned from the Rwandan market.

In Rwanda, campaigns against the sale and use of skin bleaching creams have been running for years. Imports and sale of skin bleaching products are also illegal.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.