How do you know if a hydroalcoholic gel is really effective?

It is now part of our daily life.

For several months now, hydroalcoholic gel has become essential, like its friend, the mask.

Problem: some bottles of hydroalcoholic gel are in fact ineffective.

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13% of products do not contain enough alcohol and are not bactericidal, according to the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), or one in seven.

Two things to watch out for on the label

So how do you navigate the shelves?

How not to be "trapped"?

“

”Romain Roussel, chief of staff at the DGCCRF, explains to Figaro.

Certain information must indeed appear on the labels.

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"

, explains Romain Roussel.

The type of alcohol used, visible in the composition on the back of the product, must be ethanol, propan-1-ol or propan-2-ol.

It is also necessary to watch the mention of the European standard EN 14 476 on the label: this means that the effectiveness of the product has been tested.

If one of the two elements is present on the label (more than 60% alcohol or the mention EN 14 476), this means that your hydroalcoholic gel is effective.

The two “cumulative” elements are therefore not essential.

For example, if your bottle mentions “69% ethanol” but you cannot find any trace of “EN 14 476”, your gel is still in the nails.

Many withdrawals

The DGCCRF recalls that withdrawals-recalls have been carried out on several thousand bottles in recent weeks.

For example because of fraud or imprecise mentions.

Should we be wary of particular businesses or brands?

Not really.

The ineffective bottles can be sold on the internet but also in tobacconists, supermarkets or even pharmacies, according to the DGCCRF.

But

tempers Romain Roussel.