Exclusive-A decade after mercury ban, toxic skin bleachers still offered on top retailers’ websites
Reuters found more than 20 banned mercury creams still listed on major marketplaces, despite bans and repeated removal efforts by regulators and platforms.
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More than 20 prohibited skin whitening products containing mercury are available for purchase on third-party markets administered by Amazon, Temu or TikTok Shop in several countries, despite decades of efforts by health officials and regulators to prevent their sale, according to a study conducted by Reuters based on publicly available information, which was published on Tuesday.
Reuters found more than 20 banned skin-lightening products containing mercury, a health hazard, on Amazon, Temu and Tiktok Shop. The online stores say they are banning the products, but many of them were still on sale in early September.
Exclusive-A decade after mercury ban, toxic skin bleachers still offered on top retailers’ websites
By Richa Naidu and Arriana McLymore LONDON/NEW YORK, Sept 16 (Reuters) - More than 20 banned skin-bleaching products containing mercury are available for purchase on third-party marketplaces run by Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop in several countries, des...
In 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected high concentrations of mercury in skin-whitening products. Orbi 20 Whitening Cream, for example, contained approximately 2.78 grams of mercury per 100 grams, more than 20,000 times the legal limit for unavoidable mercury residues allowed under U.S. regulations. The image shown is a composite of some product images released by the FDA. (Epoch Times composite)
More than 20 skin whitening products on banned product lists and which authorities have warned that they may contain mercury have been identified for sale on markets operated by Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop, according to a Reuters analysis.
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