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DM, Unilever to have closer cooperation on product safety and testing standards

Dubai Municipality and Unilever , leading manufacturers of personal care, cosmetics and household cleaning products, have agreed to have closer cooperation in future regarding product safety and testing standards.

This came after a Municipality delegation headed by Eng. Redha Salman, Director of Public Health and Safety Department visited the Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC) of Unilever in Colworth, England.

The Municipality delegation also included Farah Zarouni, Head of Consumer Materials Laboratory Section and Naseem Mohammed Rafia, Acting Head of Consumer Materials Safety Section.

The Municipality delegation conducted the visit upon an invitation from Unilever to get a brief about the safety standards followed by the company in testing and manufacturing personal care products, cosmetics and household cleaning chemicals, said Salman.

"The SEAC always invite control bodies to introduce and brief about the control mechanism and inspection system followed by Unilever on safety specifications of its products. This visit helped us in discussing the safety standards being implemented as well as closely watching the different tests conducted by Unilever to make sure its products are not negatively affecting the consumer or the environment," he said.

"We saw extensive tests being carried out that will help us in creating consumer awareness about the products. We were mainly focusing on the impact of these products on the consumer and the environment. Many active ingredients and chemical compounds, if not properly specified, have a potential to harm the consumer. The effects could be on the basis of long term or a short term usage," said Salman.

"The discussion on "Consumer Safety" also extended to the issues related to product labeling, storage, and improper usage or misuse of certain products. Residues of certain consumer products have a potential to harm the environment if toxicity and persistence of chemicals are not accounted for especially with regard to food chain in the marine environment," he said.

"We also witnessed chemical, biological and the genetic tests carried out to study the genetic effects of the products. We understood the quality standards applied on the products as well as their safety aspects," said Salman.

He said the visit was undertaken based on the strategy of the Municipality regarding the partnership between the public and private sectors.

"We tried to explore the possibilities on how to serve such corporate giants as well as the consumers. With this visit, we will be equipped to fight misinformation and rumors that are spread about the products through media and other sources as we will now have authentic information and scientific understanding about the products as well as direct communication with the concerned divisions or representatives in the company," said Salman.

Unilever is the leading company in personal care products in the UAE, enjoying over 30% market share. Its market share in skin cleansing and care is as high as 45%. Unilever brands enjoy leading position in most categories across home and personal care products in the UAE and Dubai.

"We see an enhanced level of cooperation with Dubai Municipality in the future with exchange of views and emerging scientific information," said Dr. Joe Dcruz, Technical Management Director, Unilever , North Africa and Middle East.

"While we would look to interact on an on-going basis, we would also concentrate on specific subjects, especially issues that are gaining prominence in terms of consumer safety," he said.

Dcruz said the DM officials' visit to Unilever was very fruitful. "We think it added perspectives to both Unilever and the Municipality . Unilever was able to know first hand what are the concerns and overall direction in terms of consumer safety in Dubai and in turn, we think Dubai Municipality had a view of how a leading worldwide organization such as Unilever addresses consumer safety and how it builds the safety aspects into its product design," he said.

Assuring Unilever 's engagement and cooperation to Dubai Municipality , Dcruz said that the company plans to stay close professionally with the Municipality and offer any value that it can provide to achieve the common goal of the highest degree of consumer safety in Dubai.

-Ends-

For further information:
Ismail Meladi
Senior Media Officer, Media Section
Corporate Marketing & Relations Department
Dubai Municipality
Tel: +971 4 2064657
Tel: +971 4 2232188
Tel: +971 50 6341075
Email: ipparambil@dm.gov.ae

© Press Release 2010