The Petit Bateau brand has just launched two garments to protect babies from exposure to electromagnetic waves. Unconvinced by the “health” aspect of the products, Internet users denounce a scam on social networks.
Exposure to electromagnetic waves and its potential health risks continue to fuel debate. Brands have understood this and are more and more likely to take up the subject. The latest example to date: the children’s clothing brand Petit Bateau, which on Wednesday June 26 released a hat and blanket ensuring that babies are protected from “99.5%” of the waves emitted by everyday devices (smartphone, tablet, wireless headphones, microwave etc.)
“Petit Bateau takes care of babies in an ultra-connected world thanks to a revolutionary knit, combining cotton and silver thread, which protects against daily waves”, promises the brand, under cover of a “scientific guarantee”, thanks to to a collaboration with the independent laboratory Emitech.
Health device or scam? Internet users do not seem convinced of the effectiveness of the product. On social networks, and especially on Twitter, septic comments are legion. “Petit Bateau, how’s pseudo-science, does it pay off well?” Asks a surfer ironically. “Fear marketing works, but the worst thing is that it ends up really creating suffering where there shouldn’t be any,” adds another.
@little boat How’s the pseudo science, does it pay off? Wi-Fi is harmful, right? And your cover is supposed to protect, or freaking out young parents? pic.twitter.com/bI0FKNHI9l
— Lucie_alba (@lucie_ar) June 27, 2019
Fear sells. @little boat I would be happy to know the scientific evidence that justifies your product? And don’t invoke the cream pie of #precautionary principle.
— The Brainiac (@LeBrainiac) June 27, 2019
To which the brand replied, on the same social network: “Studies show that daily exposure to waves, particularly during pregnancy and early childhood, could have an impact on the development of the child. We offer a solution to people wishing to apply the precautionary principles (ANSES recommendation).”
Are electromagnetic waves really dangerous for our health?
In this last tweet, the clothing brand refers to the report of the National Agency for Food and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), which issued its conclusions on the dangers of exposure to electromagnetic waves in March 2018.
Three years of work to determine the origin of symptoms described by nearly two million French people – called electro-hypersensitive (EHS) – including nausea, headaches, dizziness, burning sensations or tingling. “The complaints (pain, suffering) made by people declaring themselves EHS correspond to a lived reality”, explained ANSES in its conclusions.
However, the agency also clarified that it had not succeeded in establishing a causal link between exposure to electromagnetic fields and the symptoms described by people declaring themselves EHS, although it insisted on the need for treat these patients quickly.
ANSES recommends in particular reducing exposure to waves in children and favoring the use of hands-free kits.
.
