A few days ago we talked about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the food and beverage sector. However, some people have questioned us as to whether this obligation also applies to the cosmetics sector, to which we answer with a yes.

All those companies in the Cosmetic Industry have the commitment and responsibility to adapt Good Manufacturing Practices in their companies, so that they comply with the minimum requirements in the production, packaging, storage and distribution of their products.

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The intention of the implementation of these standards is that the product produced meets the quality standards required for its use, thus reducing the risks for the final consumer and maintaining and improving the reliability of cosmetic products.

Initially, Good Manufacturing Practices were focused on the food sector, but were gradually applied to other sectors such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, since these products are also consumer products and are subject to various conditions that can have a direct impact on consumer health.

The objective of Good Manufacturing Practices is to define and establish procedures and sanitation measures in cosmetic companies to ensure the integrity of their products and guarantee that they are safe for human use.

In Colombia, Resolution 3774 of the Ministry of Social Protection is the harmonized technical standard for Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practices, which establishes that the construction, adaptation and maintenance must be in accordance with the needs of the activity, sharing, additionally, a verification guide for Cosmetic GMP.

Locally, cosmetic companies must ensure the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices in accordance with the regulations of the institution in charge, which, in this case, is Invima.

However, this regulation is only recognized in the member countries of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), so if there is interest in entering other cosmetic sector markets, such as the European market and the United States, it will be necessary to integrate the requirements established in the international standard.

In Colombia there are few companies certified in Good Manufacturing Practices in the Cosmetics sector, since companies with presence only in the local market do not consider the importance of its implementation.

They mistakenly believe that only companies interested in exporting their products abroad need to be certified in Good Manufacturing Practices, when the truth is that having GMP certification gives them a competitive advantage not only in the local market but also in the international market.

It is important that all companies in the cosmetic sector become aware of the importance of implementing Good Manufacturing Practices in their companies and that, rather than seeing it as an expense or a financial challenge, they can see the competitive advantages of obtaining GMP certification.

In addition to the competitive advantage of having Good Manufacturing Practices, it is important to remember that, since this is a regulated sector, failure to comply with sanitary provisions entitles Invima to initiate sanctioning processes that may result not only in the imposition of fines, but also in the suspension and/or cancellation of sanitary registrations.

For this reason, it is important not only to keep up to date with the regulations that apply to you, but also to have health compliance programs in place to ensure compliance with these provisions.

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