United Kingdom · CAP Code · landing pages
Fragrance-free claims on UK landing pages — CAP literacy
“Fragrance-free”, “no added perfume”, and “unscented” badges appear above the fold on skincare, haircare and baby-care landing pages. Shoppers often assume every variant in the carousel shares the same perfume-free base — even when only one SKU qualifies. This guide helps UK marketers inventory fragrance-free wording against published CAP substantiation literacy. Not ASA clearance and not legal advice.
Free scan · £29 Register · £79/mo Watch
Why fragrance-free needs its own register row
“Unscented”, “no added perfume”, and “fragrance-free*” sound interchangeable to shoppers but imply different formulation stories. A fragrance-free hero may still list masking agents, essential oils, or allergenic aroma chemicals in INCI.
Log hero, badge strip, comparison table and marketplace title separately before you scale paid social.
Cross-read allergen-free claims, hypoallergenic claims, and dermatologically tested claims.
Common landing-page patterns
| Visible wording | Typical shopper read | Evidence column habit |
|---|---|---|
| Fragrance-free formula | Safe for all allergy sufferers | Protocol, population, SKU scope |
| Fragrance-free fragrance | No reaction risk | Separate row from base formula |
| Developed for allergy-prone skin | Clinical outcome implied | Do not merge with tested-only lines |
| Fragrance-free* (*see INCI) | Asterisk scope unclear on mobile | Log footnote prominence |
| Family fragrance-free range | Every product in carousel | Weakest SKU sets collection claim |
CAP 3.7 literacy — perfume absence claims
Where a page states a product is fragrance-free or contains no added perfume, shoppers may treat that as a factual composition claim. CiteBefore records the visible string at scan time; your team holds formulation specs offline.
If masking agents or essential oils remain in INCI, check whether the hero qualification is prominent enough for a CAP material-information read.
See advertising claim substantiation, puffery vs objective claims, and health claims on PDPs.
INCI, essential oils and “unscented” stacks
Marketplace titles often shorten to “unscented” while the PDP lists linalool, limonene or benzyl alcohol. Capture feed and owned-site strings on separate register rows.
When a “natural fragrance” tile sits next to fragrance-free copy, inventory both — shoppers may read the module as one promise.
Read organic ingredients claims and vegan and plant-based claims when botanical positioning surrounds perfume language.
Collections and gift-set modules
Discovery sets may advertise a fragrance-free wash while bundled serums carry perfume. Split each SKU tile before you sign off a collection URL.
UGC reels that restate “no scent” over a non-fragrance-free SKU still count as advertising — log creator captions.
See bundle pricing claims and influencer endorsement claims.
Worked example
Hero: “Fragrance-free moisturiser — no added perfume.” INCI tab: “Contains benzyl alcohol and linalool as preservatives; no synthetic fragrance compounds.” Register capture:
- Hero: Absence-of-perfume claim — objective composition row.
- INCI tab: Named aroma chemicals — cross-read allergen-free guide if “free from allergens” also appears.
- Evidence column: Formulation spec scope, which SKUs share the base, date of last reformulation.
Common misreadings
- Fragrance-free merged with cruelty-free badges. Ethics claims do not prove perfume absence — see cruelty-free claims.
- Product safety files treated as ad substantiation. Regulatory assessments are not shopper-facing copy.
- One unfragranced base applied to an entire carousel. Split strings per SKU in the register.
- Star ratings treated as proof of zero scent. Inventory review widgets separately from composition claims.
Pre-publish checklist
| Capture | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exact fragrance-free string per URL | Feeds may differ from hero |
| Population / protocol qualifiers | Shoppers infer universal safety |
| Free-from lines on same carousel | Cross-read allergen-free guide |
| Endorsement badges on same page | Separate substantiation tracks |
| Post-deploy scan | Free scan on live URL |
Agency and retailer feeds
Retailer character limits drop “no added perfume*” footnotes. Store Amazon, Tesco and owned-site titles as separate rows on the same SKU.
Before handoff, flag which fragrance-free lines may appear in paid search headlines versus organic modules only.
See claim register template and agency substantiation handoff.
What CiteBefore does not do
We do not run GC-MS panels, sign off IFRA categories, or provide ASA Copy Advice. We inventory visible advertising strings on URLs you submit.
Seasonal campaigns and limited editions
Holiday gift boxes sometimes pair a fragrance-free body lotion with a perfumed candle in the same photography. Capture each product call-out in the register — the hero may imply the whole box is unscented.
PR seeding envelopes labelled “fragrance-free sample” may not match the INCI on the insert card — photograph outer and inner copy.
Win-back emails that reuse PDP perfume claims link back to the site and count as ads — log subject lines and hero strings.
See limited time offer claims, free gift with purchase claims, and subscription auto-renewal claims.
Archive scan PDFs after reformulation so older “fragrance-free” heroes remain traceable if a complaint cites an earlier cache date.
Questions
Must fragrance-free apply to every SKU on the landing page?
Shoppers often read a collection hero as covering all variants. Log whether the claim applies to one formula, an unfragranced base only, or the full range.
Is fragrance-free the same as allergen-free on a PDP?
No. Allergen-free lines describe named substances absent; fragrance-free describes absence of perfuming ingredients. Inventory separate register rows.
Does CiteBefore review fragrance masking or INCI lists?
No. CiteBefore inventories visible claim strings and evidence columns on URLs you submit. It does not audit formulation files.
Can a footnote limit fragrance-free to the rinse-off step?
Footnotes can qualify claims when material information is clear and prominent. Capture location relative to the hero module.
Should marketplace titles inherit fragrance-free hero copy?
Feed titles are part of the ad — log Amazon, TikTok Shop and owned-site strings separately on the same SKU.
All guides: /guides/.