New TIC Council study finds banned chemicals in consumer products across the EU and US (California)

TIC Council today publishes Hidden in Plain Sight: Banned Chemicals in Consumer Products, the latest in a decade-long programme of independent market studies. Testing of 480 consumer products bought in the EU and California found high levels of restricted chemicals concentrated in three product categories — including waterproof jackets, where up to 74.3% of samples failed.

Between purchase and testing, TIC Council member laboratories examined seven categories of everyday consumer goods against the chemical safety requirements that apply in each market, from REACH and the POP Regulation in Europe to CPSIA, Proposition 65 and AB1817 in California. Products were sourced equally from online platforms and physical stores.

The results show a sharply divided picture:

  • Waterproof jackets failed PFAS requirements in 61.8% of EU samples and 74.3% of Californian samples — the highest rate in the study. None of the jackets tested in California carried any PFAS warning.
  • Slime and finger paints exceeded limits for migration of hazardous elements in 32.4% of EU samples and 17.1% in California.
  • Earrings failed lead and cadmium restrictions in 22.9% of EU samples, while the same products raised no comparable concern under Californian rules — a clear illustration of regulatory divergence.
  • The remaining four categories — leather goods, bath toys, baby cushions and food containers — were 98% compliant in both markets.

Crucially, no meaningful difference was found between products bought online and those bought in shops. Chemical non-compliance originates in the supply chain, at the point of manufacture, rather than at the point of sale — meaning marketplace regulation alone will not close the gap.

The study also notes that these figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling: products were tested against a targeted selection of parameters rather than the full battery of tests the two markets require.

With California's AB1817 exemption for water-repellent textiles expiring in 2028, regulators in both markets have a window to act. TIC Council will continue to publish independent evidence to support policymakers, enforcement authorities and industry in strengthening product safety.

Download the full report: TIC Council Market Study 2025 — Hidden in Plain Sight: Banned Chemicals in Consumer Products