On March 27, 2026, Italy’s competition authority opened an investigation involving Benefit Cosmetics LLC, Sephora Italia and LVMH Profumi e Cosmetici Italia. The authority is examining allegations that warnings about products not intended or tested for minors may have been omitted or misleading, and that young micro-influencers encouraged children to buy cosmetics compulsively. The allegations remain under investigation.
Sources
https://en.agcm.it/en/media/press-releases/2026/3/PS13110
The companies may have failed to make clear that the cosmetics sold by Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics are not intended for children and adolescents, while appearing instead to have encouraged their purchase through covert marketing strategies involving young micro-influencers.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91517525/sephora-and-benefit-cosmetics-are-under-fire-for-marketing-tactics-using-very-young-micro-influencers
An Italian regulator says it is investigating the LVMH-owned beauty brands for allegedly failing to make clear that their products are not meant for children.