Prices and expenses
There are various expenses associated with having a product assessed and with marketing a certified product, respectively. The two most important types of expenses are:
- An application fee, which depends on the complexity of the products you want certified. This fee is paid when you apply for approval of a new product or for a change to an existing approval
- A turnover fee, which depends on your sales of labelled products
In addition, there are expenses for follow-up control and re-evaluations of approvals and raw materials. The exact composition of the expenses connected with the application depends on the logo you choose for certification. You can read more about the two labels here.
When you apply for a product to be certified, you pay for the actual hours we spend assessing the specific application. This also applies afterwards if you make changes to the product.
Our hourly rate is EUR 175.
We invoice hours every three months, and we invoice on an ongoing basis. This applies even if an application is not completed.
Depending on the product type, the assessment may also include:
- Evaluation of ingredients that we have not previously assessed
- Dialogue with you, your suppliers and in turn their suppliers to learn about the recipe for raw materials
- Possible use of external consultants in connection with the application
When you apply for a product to be certified, you pay for the actual hours we spend assessing the specific application. This also applies subsequently if there are changes to the approval.
Our hourly rate is DKK 1,200.
We invoice hours every three months, and we invoice on an ongoing basis. This applies even if an application is not completed.
Depending on the product type, the evaluation may include:
- Evaluation of ingredients that we have not previously assessed
- Dialogue with you, your suppliers and in turn their suppliers to learn about the recipe for raw materials
- Possible use of external consultants in connection with the application
You pay a turnover fee to market your products using the label Asthma Allergy Nordic. The turnover fee is charged twice a year and is calculated based on your turnover of labelled products.
We ask for information about your turnover on your labelled products prior to each invoice, via e-mail. The turnover is the total turnover for labelled products distributed on the individual markets. For personal care products, laundry detergents, cleaning detergents, tissue and hygiene products, the fee is as follows:
- 0,5% of the turnover in the Nordic region
- 0,2% of the turnover outside the Nordic region
For all other products, the fee is as follows:
- 1% of the turnover in the Nordic region
- 0,4% of the turnover outside the Nordic region
We have a minimum fee of EUR 1,500 and a maximum fee of EUR 55,000 per country in the Nordic region.
We have a minimum fee of EUR 1,500 and a maximum fee of EUR 35,000 for total sales outside the Nordic region.
This will be effective for the invoices regarding turnover fee for the first half of 2023.
From 1st of July 2024 the maximum fee will be EUR 60,000 per country in the Nordic region and EUR 40,000 in total for all countries outside the Nordic region.
From 1st of July 2025 the maximum fee will be EUR 65,000 per country in the Nordic region and EUR 45,000 in total for all countries outside the Nordic region.
The minimum and maximum fees apply to your total turnover of all the products you market with the label of Asthma Allergy Nordic.
You pay the turnover fee to market your products using The Blue Label. The turnover fee is charged twice a year and is calculated based on your turnover of labelled products.
We ask for information about your turnover on your labelled products prior to each invoice, via e-mail. The turnover is the total turnover in all markets and is the same, regardless of product type.
The turnover fee is:
- 0,7% of the turnover up to DKK 10 million
- 0,5% of the turnover between DKK 10 and 20 million
- 0,2% of the turnover above DKK 20 million
We have a minimum fee of DKK 15,000 per year and a maximum fee of DKK 400,000.
This will be effective for the invoices regarding turnover fee for the first half of 2023.
From 1st of July 2024 the maximum fee will be DKK 450,000.
The minimum and maximum fees are for your total turnover of all your products carrying The Blue Label.
Documentation control
We perform ongoing follow-up control of approved products. You can read here how long time there will be between checks. If everything is in order, we charge 30 minutes to update your approval. If there is a discrepancy between approval and product, you will have to pay for the time we spend collecting and assessing new data and, in the long term, you may incur increased expenses for increased control.
Control of Raw material
The evaluation of different raw materials in your product may have different expiration dates. When the raw material data exceeds the control due date, we will require an update of data. Read more about raw material control here.
You as the approval holder will pay for the re-evaluation of the raw material. If there have been no changes in the raw material, we charge 30 minutes to update your approval.
If there have been changes in the raw material, you must pay for the time we need to obtain and assess data from your subcontractor.
Laboratory control
We perform ongoing control analyses of approved products. Read more about our laboratory control here. When we perform laboratory checks, there is no fee if we do not find any discrepancies in the analysis. If we find something in the analysis which shows that the product does not comply with the approval, you must pay for the work we do and for the analysis itself.
We submit all invoices via e-mail. We do not usually charge a billing fee. However, if you have special wishes for the layout of an invoice or wish to receive the invoice in another way, a billing fee will be charged, covering the extra time spent on invoicing and submission.
Free introductory meeting
Are you considering certifying your products with us? Do you need more information about the process, relevant criteria, strategy, prices, or time estimates? Then book a free introduction to certification with one of our experts.
Remember to always consult the relevant product criteria prior to the meeting. In this way, we can give you the best possible insight into expenses, benefits, and the service we provide.
Price and time estimate for applications
It is difficult to estimate exactly what an application will cost and how long it will take to obtain a certification from us because a number of parameters may vary from one application to the next. To find the sum estimate you must add the time estimates for relevant parts in your product.
Our hourly rates are:
The Blue Label: DKK 1,200
Asthma Allergy Nordic: EUR 175
It is important that both suppliers and subcontractors from the start agree to share all data. We can sign a declaration of confidentiality with them if the need arises. Below is a list of estimated expenses associated with applying for a certification, based on different product types.
Below you can also read more about what you yourself can do to speed up the application process, and thus make it cheaper. Expenses for analyses in connection with application vary greatly from one product type to the next and are borne by you. These expenses are not part of the estimates below.
An assessment of an application typically takes 3-5 hours if we know all the ingredients in advance.
The assessment of a new ingredient typically takes 2-3 hours. It often takes longer with natural ingredients and ingredients that are based on (potential) food allergens.
A typical application time for this type of product is 2-8 weeks.
You can minimise the price and assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose ingredients that we have already assessed – see them in our database Kemilex
- When using new ingredients, choose synthetic ingredients over natural ones
- Submit documentation at the start of the application if we require an ingredient to be purified – see requirements for the individual ingredients in Kemilex
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (for example, that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
An evaluation of an application typically takes 5-8 hours if we know all the ingredients in advance. The evaluation will typically include individual evaluations of all shades in, for example, a series of foundation cremes or eye shadows and not just a single product.
It typically takes 2-3 hours to evaluate a new ingredient. It will often take longer with natural ingredients and ingredients that are based on (potential) food allergens.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 3-6 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose ingredients that we have already evaluated – see them in our database Kemilex
- Ensure that the product's content of metals meets our requirements prior to application
- When using new ingredients, choose synthetic ingredients over natural ones
- Submit documentation at the start of the application if we require an ingredient purified – see requirements for the individual ingredients in Kemilex
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (for example, that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- As far as possible, ensure that the colourants do not vary too much in the content of metals from batch to batch
An evaluation of an application typically takes 3-5 hours if we know the ingredients in lotion and tissue material in advance. A new ingredient for the lotion part typically takes 2-3 hours to assess. Natural ingredients and ingredients that are based on food allergens will often take longer. It typically takes 3-5 hours to assess a new raw material for the tissue material.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 1-3 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose ingredients that we have already assessed – see them in our database Kemilex
- Choose certified tissue materials (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Choose synthetic ingredients over natural ones
- Submit documentation at the start of the application if we require an ingredient to be purified – see requirements for the individual ingredients in Kemilex
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (for example, that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on preservatives used in the production of the tissue material
- Ensure that raw materials based on wood pulp from conifers live up to our colophony requirements
An application typically takes 1-2 hours per raw material if we know the raw material in advance.
Depending on the complexity of the raw material, it may vary greatly how long the evaluation of a new raw material will take. Evaluations of simpler raw materials such as glue and SAP typically take 2-3 hours if we do not have to press your suppliers for data. Raw materials containing wood pulp such as fluff and pulp usually take 3-5 hours.
Nonwoven, backsheet, tape, ink/print may take 5+ hours to assess as we must obtain a lot of data from your suppliers. If all information is available from suppliers and subcontractors at the start of the application, the number of hours can be minimised.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 3-6 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose certified tissue material (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Pay special attention to your printed parts and choose certified printed raw materials
- Use the same raw materials whenever you can
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (e.g., that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Focus on possible preservatives used in raw materials and production
- Ensure that raw materials based on wood pulp from conifers live up to our colophony requirements – this also applies to wood-based packaging that comes into contact with the product
An application typically takes 5-8 hours if we know the raw materials in advance.
For a new raw material it will depend on the complexity of the raw material, and it may vary greatly how long the evaluation of will take. The evaluation of simpler raw materials such as glue, elastic and nose clip typically take 2-3 hours if we can get data from your subcontractors. Raw materials containing wood pulp usually take 3-5 hours.
Nonwoven, ink/print may take 5+ hours as we must obtain a lot of data from your suppliers’ subcontractors. If all information is available from suppliers and subcontractors at the start of the application, the number of hours can be minimised.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 3-6 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose certified raw materials (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Use the same raw materials whenever you can
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (e.g., that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Focus on possible preservatives used in raw materials and production
- Ensure that raw materials based on wood pulp from conifers live up to our colophony requirements
An application typically takes 1-2 hours per raw material if we know the raw material in advance. It typically takes 2-3 hours for us to obtain data from your suppliers and evaluate a new raw material.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 3-6 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose certified raw materials (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Use the same raw materials whenever you can
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (e.g., that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Focus on possible preservatives used in raw materials and production
- Ensure that raw materials based on wood pulp from conifers live up to our colophony requirements
An application typically takes 1-2 hours per raw material if we know the raw material in advance. Depending on the complexity of the raw material, it may vary greatly how long the evaluation of a new raw material takes. It typically takes 2-3 hours – pigments will often take significantly longer.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 6-9 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose certified raw materials (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Pay special attention to the content of your binders and pigments
- Use the same raw materials whenever you can
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (e.g., that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Focus on preservatives used in raw materials and production
We recommend that you have your recipe assessed by us before making the required analysis of the product. For further guidance, please refer to the requirement criteria for analyses.
An application typically takes 1-2 hours per raw material in the duvet if we know the raw material in advance. It typically takes 2-3 hours for us to obtain data from your suppliers and assess a new raw material.
A typical case processing time for this type of product is 2-4 months. The first application typically takes longer than the subsequent ones.
You can minimise the price and the assessment time if you:
- Know our criteria – read more here
- Choose certified raw materials (ask your supplier or search our database when you have become a customer)
- Use the same raw materials whenever you can
- Have prepared your suppliers of raw materials so that they are ready to share confidential information with us
- Focus on the fact that there must be traceability between documents and recipes (e.g., that raw material names are the same in the formula as in the documentation)
- Focus on preservatives used in raw materials and production
A raw material certification is of great value for your customers as it will make it much easier for them to get their product certification from us when we have already assessed your raw material. It also gives you the right to market the raw material with our allergy labelling. Many of our other customers experience a need to replace raw materials in connection with a product certification if their current raw materials cannot meet our criteria. If your raw materials have already been certified by us, it is easy for them to switch to yours and obtain a fast approval from us.
The time it takes to get a certification depends on how far down your chain of raw material suppliers we need to go to get the necessary documentation, so it may vary greatly. Find our price and time estimate above under the relevant product groups in which your raw material will be used. In general, it is important that you have a good relationship with your suppliers, and that it is easy for us to access data about their raw materials.
There is no annual fee associated with getting a raw material certified.
If your raw material has already been assessed by us, it will typically take 1-2 hours to obtain a raw material certification. If we have assessed one of your raw materials, a certification may be extended to cover your other raw materials which only differ by, for example, physical factors, such as size, provided they are:
- Chemically identical
- Follow the same production process with the same production chemicals