We, the undersigned, are formally demanding that Abercrombie & Fitch immediately stop spraying Fierce fragrance in and around all A & F stores, permeating indoor and common outdoor air space with fragrance chemicals. The impact of spraying a fragrance with harmful ingredients has negative effects on human health, the environment and A & F employees.  Your customers as well as mall shoppers are being exposed to these ingredients without notice of potential harm and without consent.  

Everyone has a right to clean air, and to informed consent about the chemicals they are exposed to.  The A & F policy of spraying fragrance via air sprayers inside stores and the common areas of malls is violating those rights.

A study recently completed by the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics showed that the Fierce perfume contained more ingredients than were on the label. According to product tests conducted at an independent lab, and a science analysis of chemicals on the label, A & F Fierce fragrance was found to contain:

•  11 chemicals not listed on the label due to a loophole in federal law that allows companies to claim fragrance ingredients as trade secrets. 

•  8 sensitizing chemicals associated with allergic reactions such as asthma, wheezing, headaches and contact dermatitis.

•  Diethyl phthalate – a chemical linked in recent human studies to sperm damage in adult men, abnormal reproductive development in baby boys, and behavioral problems in children.

At the Village at Corte Madera in Marin County, an outdoor mall where an A & F store is located, many workers and shoppers have reported experiencing negative effects from your fragrance, including headaches, sore throats, coughing and nausea. Because of the complaints and follow-up by mall management, this particular A & F store agreed to remove the two fragrance sprayers at the front of the store. This demonstrates how simple it can be to change practices to protect our air, health and environment.  We are prepared to mobilize similar efforts to stop the spraying of harmful perfume at all of the A & F stores in locations across the country if this practice doesn’t stop. 

Please advise us of your intent within 30 days to stop the practice of spraying harmful products in your stores and the commons around your stores.

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