As regulatory bodies like the FDA and EU regulators strengthen standards for ingredient transparency and sustainability claims, cosmetics and personal care brands face increased accountability for product quality and safety.
Despite these demands, a 2024 QIMA survey revealed that only 52% of global companies could identify more than half of their sourcing networks, highlighting a large gap in supply chain visibility and a lack of transparency that could pose risks to compliance and brand reputation.
CosmeticsDesign spoke to Rodney Manzo, CEO of Anvyl, a supply chain visibility platform, to share key strategies to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance.
In-person audits cannot be negotiated
For brands that value potential suppliers, Manzo emphasized the value of direct observation. “Quality starts with direct observation,” he says, and while workarounds exist, “there are no shortcuts or checklists to replace the assessment.”
By prioritizing in-person audits, he continued. This allows brands to “follow the complete flow of products, i.e. from material to final shipping) to assess where quality can fall apart.
While quarterly site visits provide a solid starting point, Manzo noted that timing should reflect actual production timelines. During these audits, brands should ensure that quality control is fully integrated. “The goal is to make sure that quality is not just promised,” he advised.
Direct observations also provide the brand with the opportunity to identify strong supplier signs, he added.
Digital tools provide real-time control and compliance support
For many small and scaling brands, centralized documentation is a permanent challenge, often due to a lack of quality expertise, Manzo shares.
“Teams that are not used to compliance protocols can struggle with monitored documentation, making audits and reporting difficult,” he explained.
To address these issues, he recommended that we establish a defined process and use tools to link documents directly to supply chain events.
“At the very least, a robust Excel tracker can help you manage specifications and results, but ideally, brands will use supply chain technology that links documentation to purchase orders, ensuring real-time visibility and maintain compliance audit response,” he revealed.
Supply chain technology can also play a key role in preventing quality issues before reaching consumers. “Technology can identify problems early in the source,” Manzo said.
“Whether the problem is about raw materials, production errors, or packaging defects, digital platforms give teams the visibility that the defective product needs to take action before it reaches the store.” Specifically, by utilizing a platform that offers automation and real-time updates, brands can make faster decisions and reduce downstream obstacles.
Looking ahead, navigate regulatory shifts and advances in automation
As regulations evolved, especially in areas such as sustainability and product claims, Manzo has urged brands to respond without compromising efficiency. He advised that changes in input, such as the introduction of post-consumer recycled materials, should match “stricter quality checks and updated compliance documents.”
He said, “Manufacturing thrives with consistency. Even small changes can create quality challenges if not closely managed.”
He hopes for major changes in the way quality control is implemented in the future. “We hope that more manufacturers will move from manual checks to inline quality control,” he said.
Technologies such as sensors and AI are already beginning to replace human testing in real time, and “speeds up this shift by analyzing quality data faster than humans can,” he added.
“Instead of relying on someone to check for leaks after the bottle is full,” he concluded, increasingly, brands say, “real-time data, [which] You can flag defects at the moment when reducing waste and protecting the customer experience. ”
