US consumers oppose call to ban antibacterial agents in personal care

Published: 19-Jan-2011

Poll finds 83% want the right to choose products


A survey of US consumers has found that a majority would be “angry” if the US government were to act on a recent call by special interest groups to ban the use of antibacterial agents in personal care products.

The poll, conducted by Fabrizio, Ward and Associates and released by the American Cleaning Institute and the Personal Care Products Council reveals that 83% of consumers want to be able to choose whether to buy germ-fighting products or not. According to the poll, 74% of US consumers use antibacterial soap while 75% of mothers with children would be “angry” if the government took it off the market (two thirds of consumers in general said they would be upset if this were to happen). In addition, 84% of the 1,000 adults sampled replied that they did not have any health or environmental concerns about antibacterial soap.

“Antibacterial ingredients have been reviewed, regulated and researched by agencies around the world for more than 40 years,” comments Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the American Cleaning Institute. “American consumers want access to the same germ-fighting products that are used every day in countless doctors’ offices and hospital settings. Consumers can continue to use these products safely and effectively with great confidence.”

You may also like