Quality & Technical Policy

How Boots uses the SIN list and other substitution tools

Iain BrunningSenior Manager – Scientific Advisers - Boots UK

18th November 2011

Quality & Technical Policy

• Alliance Boots is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group delivering a range of products and services to customers

• We operate more than 3,280* health and beauty retail stores in ten* countries, of which just under 3,180* have a pharmacy

• In Europe we have stores in the UK, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Lithuania and Russia. We also have pharmacies in Thailand and our associates and joint ventures operate pharmacies in Switzerland, China, Italy and Croatia. In addition, around 50 Boots stores operate in the Middle East and Sweden on a franchised basis

• Our pharmaceutical wholesale businesses, together with our associates and joint ventures, supply medicines, other healthcare products and related services to over 160,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370 distribution centres in 21 countries

*as of 31st March 2011

Alliance BootsPharmacy-led health and beauty group

Boots UKA member of Alliance Boots

• Our purpose is to help our customers look and feel better than they ever thought possible

• We are trusted by our customers many of who visit more than one of our stores every week

• We are committed to offering our customers innovative and fantastic new products

   

Boots apotekEn medlem av Alliance Boots

• In Sweden we opened our first store in 2011

• We currently have 7 stores– 2 in Stockholm– And in Visby, Nacka, Varberg and

Handen

• Our Pharmacies offer professional advice and pharmacy services and a wide range of Boots brand health and personal care products

• Pharmacies are wholly owned by individual entrepreneurs

Our brands

• Boots has over 160 years experience in pharmacy operations and product development, and is today one of the world's most famous brands

• Boots develops and manufactures several of Britain's best-selling brands such as No7, Botanics and Soltan

Quality & Technical Policy

A Typical Retailers Perspective

• Large portfolio of products and even larger amount of materials to consider

• At very end of the supply chain• Expertise is on marketing not scientific assessment• Rely on information supplied from its suppliers or third parties• Often simply rely on legislation• Prone to ‘criticism’ from NGO community because of our

visibility to consumers

Quality & Technical Policy

Boots Perspective

• Unique in Europe as both a manufacturer and retailer• Company grown from a pharmaceutical heritage with a

pharmacy-led focus• Dedicated team managing our chemical policy• Historical process in place for assessing chemicals used in

manufacturing• Proven track record in assessment and substitution

Product management challenge

• Appears simple, but– Complex products– Multi-component– Many technologies

• Many different regulations– Cosmetics Directive– REACH– CLP– Biocides Directive– General Product Regulations– FDA CFR 21 ….

Quality & Technical Policy

How do Boots approach chemical assessment?• Chemical Stewardship Group (CSG)

– Scientific foundation for policy decisions– Representation from across our business both technical and

commercial

• Precautionary approach – The Boots customer is always our first consideration and our brand is

trusted “to do the right thing” and we need to continue to earn that trust

– Boots have always applied a precautionary approach to all our activities and have a proven track record

– Not withstanding this still must have a strong scientific underpinning

CSG Inputs

Our Customers

Internal data

Material Suppliers

External Consultancy

CSG Outputs

Priority Substance

List

Chemical Policies

Boots General Requirements

Chemical Stewardship Group

Representatives from:Toxicology

Cosmetic FormulationPharmacy

Materials ScienceSustainability

Waste ManagementNutritionQuality

Commercial Supply

Inputs to Boots Chemical Stewardship Group

Outputs fromBoots Chemical Stewardship Group

• Update to the Priority Substance List

• Technical guidance on the use of chemicals by the company

• Proposed action plans for chemicals of concern

• Regular feedback to the business

http://www.boots-uk.com/Corporate_Social_Responsibility/Environment/Chemicals.aspx

Quality & Technical Policy

Benefits for Boots• Early identification allows time to complete risk review,

identify alternatives and plan for strategic substitution where merited

• We can continue to delight our customers by keeping products available in our stores and delight our senior stakeholders by reducing stock recalls and write-offs

• Producing a development tool which is easy to use, especially for key decision makers

• Supporting and enforcing Boots strategy goal to become a global leader in health and beauty products and services

Quality & Technical Policy

Boots achievements

• Bisphenol-a– As a result of our own impact assessment, we took the

decision to use an alternative material to polycarbonate in Boots brand feeding bottles from August 2008

– Boots stopped stocking proprietary baby feeding bottles made from polycarbonate ahead of the EC decision

• Phthalates in cosmetic and toiletry products– No Boots brand products or exclusives developed by

Boots UK will contain simple phthalate esters– Prohibited for manufacture in all Boots brand products

since July 2008

Quality & Technical Policy

Boots achievements

• Triclosan– Prohibited for use in plastic articles, clothing and

similar types of goods since 2008– Is being phased out and has not used in any new

product development since 2005• Artificial Musks– Nitro musks have been prohibited for manufacture in

all Boots Brand products since 2002 and polycyclic musks have been banned in the manufacture of all Boots brand products since 2008

Quality & Technical Policy

For more information

• Boots Environmental Management– http://www.boots-uk.com/Corporate_Social_Responsibility/Environment.aspx

• Boots Chemical Strategy– iain.brunning@boots.co.uk +44 (0)115 9686 772

• Boots UK– Boots UK Press Office on +44 (0)115 959 5995

• Alliance Boots– AB Communications on +44 (0)1932 871 400

• To shop at Boots– www.boots.com/ or in Sweden www.se.boots.com/