Greenhouse would like to express its full support for Charlene Mercieca following the Malta Standards Authority’s crackdown on her original soap products.
Understanding that the Council Directive 87/357/EEC, which is being applied here by the authority, is intended for good purposes, specifically to protect youngsters from the possibility of attempting to eat food-imitating products, one cannot help but ask the authorities to be more lenient in its application. Stifling an entrepreneur’s creativity is surely beyond the directive’s objectives. The science behind Ms Mercieca’s soap-making is sound and her marketing technique is her choice to make.
One can refer to certain other products which also go against the directive but are still on the market.
Besides, customers should have the choice of buying soap made from natural products, even those coming from food ingredients. Greenhouse has information that in foreign countries standards authorities issue a “bite test” to check for the product’s danger. Many of these standards authorities also allow these products to go on sale so long as they have clear warning labels.
We would therefore like to ask the MSA to find an adequate compromise and meet Ms Mercieca half way for a sensible solution to be identified.