Sweden Blocks Mercury-Laden Goree Cream from Pakistan: EcoWaste Coalition Calls for Crackdown in the Philippines

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As Europe shuts its doors on toxic skin whiteners, EcoWaste Coalition demands urgent, united action to stop the illegal trade and protect Filipino consumers.

3 May 2025, Quezon City – A storm is brewing across borders as Sweden steps up to protect its citizens from the toxic threat lurking in a beauty product widely sold online and in underground markets: Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene. The cream, hailing from Pakistan and often touted as a miracle whitening solution, has again found itself under the harsh glare of international scrutiny—this time, flagged by Sweden and blocked at its borders.

The Swedish government's decisive action, issued under Alert Number SR/01727/25 and published on the European Union’s Safety Gate on May 2, 2025, reveals a disturbing reality: the cosmetic contains mercury, a banned substance in cosmetics under international and regional health regulations. “The product contains mercury. Mercury accumulates in the body and can damage the kidneys, brain, and nervous system. Additionally, it may affect reproduction and the unborn child,” the alert stated in chilling detail.

Sweden's regulatory move mirrors longstanding warnings from the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, as early as 2017, detected mercury in Goree Beauty Cream and its variants. Since then, a flurry of advisories—Nos. 2023-2344, 2023-2391, and 2023-2392—have underscored the product’s unauthorized and hazardous nature. Despite this, the products continue to flood local markets and digital shelves, endangering unsuspecting consumers seeking lighter skin at the cost of their health.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a vigilant environmental health advocacy group, is once again sounding the alarm. Armed with scientific proof from their X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) chemical screenings, they’ve uncovered mercury concentrations exceeding 20,000 parts per million (ppm) in samples of Goree products—an astonishing figure far beyond the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive’s limit of 1 ppm for mercury as a contaminant.

“This is not just a cosmetic concern—it’s a public health emergency,” declared the EcoWaste Coalition. “These mercury-laced products are a direct violation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which bans the manufacture, import, and export of such toxic cosmetics. Yet, unscrupulous traders continue to defy the law.”

The group is pushing for a multi-stakeholder summit, spearheaded by the FDA, to tackle the problem head-on. They’re calling for stricter border control measures, akin to Sweden’s swift rejection of the tainted import. The coalition also urges local government units to roll out random inspections in marketplaces, especially those catering to beauty products, in tandem with FDA field teams.

But the problem is not just offline.

“In today’s digital age, dangerous skin-whitening products like Goree are only a click away,” the Coalition warned, pointing a firm finger at e-commerce giants and social media platforms. “They must act decisively to prevent their platforms from becoming conduits for poison.”

Globally, Goree products have been banned or flagged by health authorities in Brunei, China (Hong Kong), New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States, reflecting a growing consensus that these products are too dangerous to remain in circulation.

Still, they persist—enabled by weak enforcement, social media marketing, and the toxic allure of colorism.

“We must break the chain,” the EcoWaste Coalition insisted. “We will not only keep exposing these hazardous products—we will challenge the toxic beauty standards that fuel their demand. We must celebrate the beauty of all skin tones and build a culture that values health over harmful illusions.”

The Coalition’s message is clear: protecting Filipino lives is non-negotiable, and the time for half-measures is over. It’s time for a bold, united front to flush these deadly cosmetics out of the country—before more lives are silently poisoned in pursuit of a dangerously marketed ideal.

Consumers who encounter unauthorized or suspicious beauty products are encouraged to report them to the FDA and to avoid purchasing from unverified sellers.

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