Pharmaceutical and health care manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has stopped selling whitening skin creams.
The company announced the withdrawal of its Clean & Clear Fairness brand products, which is sold in India.
Earlier this month, J&J decided to discontinue all of its Neutrogena Fine Fairness lines. The American company sold these in Asia and the Middle East.
The whitening skin creams have come under attack as a global debate on racism is underway. Opponents point out that those products reinforce the idea that fair skin is better than dark.
J&J says that it has also been made aware of this recently. “That was never our intention. Healthy skin is beautiful skin.”
The fact that J&J no longer makes and sells the products does not mean that they are no longer available. Shops can still sell their stocks.
Other care product makers such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble and L’Oréal make similar products. They were not immediately available for comment.