Italy probes Sephora, LVMH for pushing cosmetic sales to minors

MILAN - Italian competition regulators said on Friday they have opened a probe into French luxury group LVMH and its Sephora and Benefit subsidiaries for promoting skin care products to minors.

"The investigations were opened over concerns that important information -- such as warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors -- may have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner," the AGCM competition authority said in a statement.

The companies are suspected of having "adopted a particularly insidious marketing strategy, involving very young micro-influencers who encourage the compulsive purchase of cosmetics among young people, a particularly vulnerable group."

The statement said the products being pushed are mainly face masks, serums and anti-ageing creams.

While not illegal to sell such products to under-age customers, the AGCM said "the frequent and combined use of a wide range of cosmetics by minors, without proper awareness, may be harmful to their health".

Sephora and LVMH premises in Italy were raided on Thursday, according to the AGCM. The companies could face substantial fines.