Terms of Use

What this site does

Banned in Europe publishes regulatory information and editorial analysis about the differences between EU and US rules for consumer product ingredients, and provides an ingredient checker that compares pasted ingredient lists against a curated dataset derived from publicly available European Union regulations, primarily Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (cosmetics) and Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (food additives). Every flagged ingredient includes a citation to the specific regulation and, where available, the Annex entry number.

What this site does not do

This site provides regulatory information. It does not provide medical advice, health recommendations, product safety assessments, or purchasing guidance. A product containing a flagged ingredient is not necessarily unsafe. A product with no flagged ingredients is not necessarily safe. We do not evaluate product safety, recommend alternatives, or assess cumulative exposure risk.

Accuracy and completeness

We make reasonable efforts to ensure the regulatory data is accurate and current, following the process described on our methodology page. However, EU and US regulations are amended frequently, and our dataset may not reflect the most recent amendments at any given time. We encourage you to verify any citation that matters to you against the official sources, which we link from every page.

No warranty

This site and its tools are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that the information is complete, accurate, or current. We are not liable for any decisions made based on information provided by this site.

Not a substitute for professional advice

If you have concerns about a specific ingredient's safety, consult a dermatologist, allergist, physician, or other qualified professional. If you are a manufacturer seeking regulatory compliance guidance, consult a regulatory affairs specialist.

Affiliate links

Some pages may contain affiliate links, disclosed where they appear. Purchases made through them may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our regulatory reporting; see our privacy policy for the full disclosure.

Intellectual property

The regulatory data underlying this site is derived from publicly available EU and US regulations and is not subject to copyright. Our editorial content, ingredient page write-ups, website design, and brand identity are original works. You may share individual results and link to this site freely. You may not scrape the dataset for republication, reproduce the editorial content, or use our brand assets without permission.

No brand endorsement or disparagement

This site flags ingredients, not brands. The presence of a flagged ingredient in a product reflects a regulatory difference between the EU and US. It is not a statement that the brand, product, or manufacturer is unsafe, negligent, or acting improperly. Many flagged ingredients are legal and widely used in the United States.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as the project evolves. Material changes will be noted here with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Questions about these terms: legal at isitbannedineurope dot com.