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What is the Detergents Regulation?
The Detergents Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2026⁄405, replacing the original 2004 Detergents Regulation) is the EU’s core legal framework governing the placing on the market and use of detergents and cleaning products. It sets requirements to ensure that these products are safe, effective, and compliant with environmental and health protection rules across the EU. Following its recent revision, the Regulation will fully apply from 23 September 2029, giving companies time to adapt to the new rules. In the meantime, the European Commission and relevant stakeholders are developing the secondary legislation needed to apply it in practice, on topics ranging from technical documentation and the digital product passport to biodegradability requirements.
Why the Detergents Regulation matters for fragrance
Fragrance is a key ingredient in detergents and household cleaning products, even though it typically makes up a very small fraction of a finished product. It helps eliminate and mask malodor, and it is a key differentiator between products. It is one of the main reasons consumers choose one product over another, it contributes to consumer satisfaction, adherence to cleaning and hygiene habits, and it helps bring a diverse range of products to consumers.
The Detergents Regulation sets specific requirements for the use of fragrance ingredients in detergents. Because a fragrance used in a detergent product is a complex mixture that can contain dozens of individual ingredients, consistency between the Detergents Regulation and the wider EU chemicals legislation is vital. The Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation already set a number of rules that also apply to ingredients used in detergents. These include rules on technical documentation, on information passed along the supply chain and shared with poison centers, and on biodegradability, underscoring the importance of maintaining consistency across the different legislative frameworks.
Secondary legislation under discussion
With the revised Regulation adopted, attention has turned to the secondary legislation that will implement it. For fragrances, two areas are of particular importance. The first concerns the technical information and documentation to be made available across the value chain. The second is the labeling requirements that apply to fragrance ingredients, including allergens.
IFRA is following this work closely to support an implementation which ensures that information needed for safe use is available, while confidential business information remains appropriately protected. Particular attention is also being given to ensuring consistency with the broader EU chemicals legislation, including CLP and REACH, as well as coherence with the fragrance allergen labeling requirements applicable under the Cosmetic Products Regulation.
IFRA also supports the implementation of the Detergents Regulation as an observer member in the European Commission Expert Group on Detergents.