Shoppers Told to Return Carpi Cosmetics as Portugal Orders Immediate Recall

Portuguese bathroom shelves may look the same this morning, yet the regulatory landscape that governs what ends up on them has shifted dramatically. An unannounced inspection carried out by Infarmed has forced Carpi Cosméticos Europa to halt all sales, compelling retailers to remove dozens of shampoos, body lotions and make-up items just ahead of the lucrative Christmas rush.

At a glance

Although the suspension was announced only two days ago, investigators say they first spotted irregularities in early autumn. By the time the circular was published, Infarmed had confirmed four separate legal breaches, highlighted the presence of a banned fragrance compound, and instructed consumers to stop using the affected goods. The measure covers every lot of the brands Carpi Cosméticos and SeiBellaBrasil, regardless of where the products were manufactured. Pharmacies, perfumeries and online platforms have been warned that continued sales could trigger additional penalties.

Why the sudden sweep?

Infarmed’s inspectors arrived at Carpi’s Sintra warehouse in late October and, according to internal sources, found that the company had skipped the mandatory product notification step on the EU’s Cosmetic Product Notification Portal. In addition, labels failed to identify a Responsible Person inside the European Union, a legal requirement that ensures accountability if a health incident occurs. Over the past decade the regulator has usually opted for lighter penalties—most often warning letters—but this time officials said the convergence of multiple shortcomings justified the immediate freeze.

Ingredient under the microscope

The most serious red flag was the detection of Butylphenyl methylpropional, better known to chemists as Lilial. The substance has been outlawed across the bloc since 1 March 2022 because of its classification as toxic for reproduction. Scientific committees link prolonged exposure to possible hormone disruption, impaired fertility, and heightened risk for unborn children. Lilial is also a recognised skin sensitiser, meaning it can trigger allergic reactions even at low concentrations. Despite the two-year-old ban, the compound still appears in fragrance bases sourced from outside the EU; in this case laboratory tests detected it in several Carpi perfume-rich creams.

Limited information on penalties—for now

Neither Infarmed’s circular nor the Ministry of Health’s follow-up note specifies a fine. Sources close to the investigation say that civil sanctions could still be on the table if Carpi fails to demonstrate full compliance in a second audit expected in December. Under Portugal’s Decree-Law 112/2011, companies can face penalties that escalate to €30 000 per infraction plus the cost of public recalls. For now, the order focuses on suspending sales, blocking imports at customs, and obliging distributors to organise a nationwide take-back programme. Consumers who already bought the products are being told to return them to the point of sale for a refund.

Wider European backdrop

Portugal is hardly alone in confronting Lilial violations. The EU’s Safety Gate alert system logged more than 500 cosmetic alerts in the first half of 2024, with Lilial featuring in the majority of chemical-risk notifications. France, Denmark and Spain have each issued multiple mass recalls, and the UK—post-Brexit—followed a similar timeline, banning new Lilial-containing items after 15 October 2022 and forcing their removal from shelves within two months. Regulators across the continent increasingly rely on surprise warehouse visits, handheld spectrometers and coordinated laboratory networks to spot banned chemicals before they reach consumers.

What Portuguese shoppers should do

Dermatologists consulted by our newsroom stress that the immediate health danger for a single, brief exposure is low, yet prolonged or repeated use could amplify the risk. The safest approach is to check batch numbers: anything bearing the Carpi or SeiBellaBrasil logos should be set aside and returned. If a receipt is missing, retailers are still obliged to compensate customers under Portuguese consumer-protection law. For products from other brands, a quick scan of the ingredient list for the tell-tale term “Butylphenyl methylpropional” remains the best defense.

Looking ahead

Infarmed’s leadership believes the episode highlights the need for stronger market surveillance in a sector that releases hundreds of new formulations each quarter. Industry groups have begun lobbying for a shared testing facility that smaller Portuguese brands could use to verify compliance before launching abroad. Meanwhile, Carpi Cosméticos Europa must convince regulators that it can trace every supply chain step, validate each fragrance batch, and update all labels—otherwise the company risks being shut out of the Iberian market for good.