reading the box

the small print is the law.

in the eu, one regulation sets what a perfume box has to say, in lettering that is easy to read and hard to rub off. great britain and the us have their own rules, so we end with those.

tap the box.

a made-up box, with the marks you can find on a real one.

parfum: one word, many things.

a whole fragrance goes on the list as one word. what the law pulls out of that word are the listed allergens, so that people who already react to one can avoid it.

why new boxes read longer.

the allergens named on the list began at 26 and stood at 24 by 2023. a 2023 law added 56 more, and new products have to follow it from the end of july 2026. older stock can stay on sale until 31 july 2028, so two boxes side by side can read differently.

being listed is not a verdict on the product's safety.

a batch code is not a birthday.

the law asks for a batch number or another reference that identifies the product. it sets no format for it, and the label list has no line for the date it was made.

outside the eu.

tap one.