Source record

Jurisdiction
New Zealand
Issuing authority
New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority
Document status
General guidance on cosmetic market entry
Source review
Source checked

Original documents

An Australian importer has checked a cosmetic product’s ingredients and label. The brand now wants to sell the same product in New Zealand. The two markets need separate reviews: New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) applies its own rules to relevant cosmetics.

This guide covers ordinary cosmetics sold through a conventional route. It is a starting point for the importer or manufacturer, not a determination that all cosmetics have the same classification or obligations. Sources were checked on 3 November 2026. See also our comparison of eight markets.

This article was generated with AI and checked against the sources linked below. It has not been independently reviewed by a local regulatory professional.

Define the product and check the applicable rules

Write down the formula, physical form, intended use, directions and claims. Ask whether the product is a cosmetic under the applicable rules or whether its presentation or ingredients make another framework relevant. Sunscreens and products making therapeutic claims can raise additional questions.

The EPA’s Cosmetic Products Group Standard sets conditions for cosmetics within its scope. Updated rules took effect in 2026, including a scope change covering cosmetics containing a hazardous substance even where the finished product is not itself hazardous. Check the scope and transition provisions against the actual product instead of assuming that every cosmetic follows an identical route.

The EPA says a cosmetic that is not hazardous and contains only non-hazardous ingredients is not expected to comply with this group standard. Other product obligations may still apply, so a scope decision is not a complete product compliance assessment.

Review the ingredient schedules

Obtain the complete formula and specifications, including enough detail about mixtures to evaluate their components. Review each ingredient against the applicable schedules in the group standard, including prohibited and restricted substances and conditions that may apply to particular functions.

The EPA states that the Cosmetic Products Group Standard does not require cosmetic ingredients to be listed on the New Zealand Inventory of Chemicals. That distinction matters when a supplier says an ingredient is absent from the inventory: do not resolve the question by assuming the Australian and New Zealand inventory rules are the same. The group standard’s ingredient schedules and other applicable conditions still need to be met.

Record the version of the formula checked, the relevant concentrations and any supplier information used to reach the decision. A later change to a fragrance, preservative or raw-material specification should trigger another review.

Check timing and transition dates

The EPA’s 2026 changes include updates to ingredient schedules and a phase-out of PFAS ingredients in cosmetics. The standard defines the chemicals in scope. The EPA says importers and manufacturers must not import or manufacture cosmetics containing PFAS ingredients from 1 January 2027; suppliers and retailers must not sell them from 1 January 2028. Different rules apply to the disposal of remaining stock. Check the EPA’s current transition guidance for the actual activity and product.

For a planned launch, list the date the business expects to import or manufacture the product and the subsequent sales period. Compare those dates with each applicable requirement, rather than recording one general “effective date” for the entire product.

Determine whether EPA reporting applies

The EPA describes a notification through its Hazardous Substances Reporting and Notifications portal for a substance first imported or manufactured under an assigned group standard. It says the business must provide its details and the group-standard or HSNO approval information within 30 days of that first import or manufacture. A group-standard approval is reported once, not separately for every product under the same approval.

Check the product, its assignment and the business’s previous reporting before deciding what must be submitted. The EPA also requires notification when a cosmetic product containing nanomaterials is first imported or manufactured, excluding approved colourants, preservatives and UV filters. The business must keep records of the notification and the nanomaterials. Check the standard’s scope and the details for the product. EPA: cosmetics and nanomaterials.

Who is responsible, and what if the rules are breached?

New Zealand’s group-standard framework assigns particular tasks to the importer or manufacturer rather than using an EU-style cosmetic responsible-person role. If the importer or manufacturer considers that the standard applies, that business is responsible for assigning the product to the standard and keeping a record sufficient to verify the decision. It also needs to meet the applicable conditions, including ingredient restrictions and any notification requirements. Suppliers have their own applicable duties when making a product available. EPA: assigning a group standard.

Enforcement depends on the nature of the conduct and the applicable law. The EPA states that it enforces certain approval, labelling, safety-data-sheet and packaging obligations, and other agencies may have responsibilities too. Non-compliance can lead to enforcement action, including prosecution in appropriate cases; it does not automatically establish personal or civil liability in every situation. A separate product-safety or consumer-law issue may need review. EPA: enforcement responsibilities; EPA: example of prosecution under hazardous-substances rules.

Prepare the label and maintain the records

EPA guidance describes English-language labels for relevant cosmetics and information including ingredients, the New Zealand importer or manufacturer’s contact details, a batch code and applicable hazard and safe-use information. It also describes disposal information and identification of nanomaterials. Check the detailed standard and any transition provisions for the actual package.

Keep the formula assessment, group-standard decision, any portal confirmation, supplier specifications and label artwork together. Define who receives complaints and who will investigate a change to the product after launch. Recheck the position when ingredients, claims, the importer or the standard change.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Does New Zealand use the same cosmetic rules as Australia?

No. New Zealand applies its own rules, including the Cosmetic Products Group Standard where it covers the product. An Australian assessment does not replace a New Zealand review.

Must every cosmetic ingredient appear on the New Zealand Inventory of Chemicals?

The EPA says the Cosmetic Products Group Standard does not require cosmetic ingredients to be listed on that inventory. Applicable ingredient schedules and other controls still need to be met.

Who assigns a product to the Cosmetic Products Group Standard?

The importer or manufacturer is responsible for determining whether the product fits the standard and, where it does, making and recording the assignment. Other suppliers have applicable responsibilities too.

Does New Zealand require any notification?

Depending on the product and business, reporting can apply to first import or manufacture under a group standard and to certain cosmetic nanomaterials. Check the applicable trigger and timing.