In a notable decision within South Africa’s competitive skincare market, the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has dismissed a complaint lodged by L’Oréal SA against Beiersdorf’s Eucerin brand. The dispute centred on Eucerin’s prominent claim of being the ‘number 1 dermatologist-recommended’ skincare brand in the country, a marketing assertion that L’Oréal contended was misleading and insufficiently substantiated.
The ARB Directorate’s April 2026 ruling found that Beiersdorf’s social media campaign, which promoted Eucerin as the top dermatologist-recommended brand across four specific categories—even skin tone, acne-prone skin, sun protection, and overall recommendation—was adequately supported by survey evidence.
Consequently, the Directorate concluded that the claims were not misleading under the prevailing advertising codes.
L’Oréal had argued that its own independent survey evidence, conducted in February 2026, indicated that its La Roche-Posay product held the top spot for overall dermatologist recommendation, even tone, and sun protection, with another L’Oréal brand leading in the acne-prone skin category. L’Oréal suggested that its more recent data should supersede Beiersdorf’s October 2025 survey findings.
However, the ARB Directorate clarified that L’Oréal had merely referenced the existence of its evidence rather than formally filing it for consideration within the complaint. The onus, the Directorate stated, rests squarely on the advertiser to substantiate its claims, not on the complainant to disprove them. This procedural emphasis underscores the stringent requirements for evidence in advertising disputes, where mere assertion of alternative data is insufficient without formal submission and validation.
The ARB further acknowledged the possibility that both companies’ claims could hold validity, suggesting that in a closely contested market, two equally robust surveys, conducted with slightly different yet valid methodologies, might yield divergent but credible conclusions. Eucerin’s substantiation stemmed from a professional survey conducted between June and December 2025, involving 152 dermatologists. This survey, which included an independent expert review and met industry standards with a confidence level of approximately 95 per cent and a margin of error of around 5 per cent, was accredited by the South African Marketing Research Association.
This ruling provides critical insight into the regulatory landscape governing advertising claims in the rapidly expanding dermocosmetics sector. The global dermocosmetics market is projected to reach a valuation of US$61.67 billion (approximately R1.18 trillion) by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3 per cent, reflecting increasing consumer demand for scientifically backed skincare solutions . In South Africa, the skincare product market alone is estimated at US$890.81 billion (approximately R17.1 trillion) in 2026, with a projected growth to US$1.24 trillion (approximately R23.9 trillion) by 2031 . Such a high-value and competitive environment naturally leads to intense marketing efforts and, inevitably, regulatory scrutiny.
A spokesperson for Beiersdorf welcomed the ARB’s decision, affirming the company’s century-long commitment to science-based skincare and its rigorous approach to research among dermatologists, which, they stated, produced factual results. This outcome reinforces the importance of robust, independently verifiable data in supporting advertising claims, particularly in a sector where consumer trust is heavily influenced by professional endorsement.
References
[1] Dermocosmetics Skin Care Products Market. (2026, April 17). Data Insights Reports.