Johnson and Johnson to introduce safer product formulations

Johnson and Johnson has launched an initiative that will see it removing any potentially hazardous chemicals from its baby and beauty products worldwide.

The firm will be phasing out harsh chemical content from a range of big-name offerings between now and 2015, and has set up a new website called www.SafetyandCareCommitment.com to demonstrate its dedication to ingredient transparency.

All of the chemicals in question are considered safe by scientific standards and are approved for use by global regulators, but Johnson and Johnson nevertheless wishes to address any concerns that its customers may have.

Using the new site, the company will provide updates of its latest policies and research in this area, as well as offering detailed guides to its gold-standard safety assurance process.

Susan Nettesheim, vice-president of product stewardship and toxicology for Johnson and Johnson Consumer Companies, said: "We want to be sure people have peace of mind bringing our products into their homes … Nothing is more important to us."

The decision has been warmly welcomed by the Breast Cancer Fund, which has called for other companies to follow the example set by Johnson and Johnson.