Cosmetics firm Garnier cleared of racial bias

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) A French court has dismissed racism charges against the Garnier subsidiary of cosmetics group L'Oreal and two subcontractors.

French prosecutors had asked the Civil Court to impose an exemplary fine on Garnier and one of its former managers for allegedly seeking to exclude applicants of Arab, Asian or African background from a supermarket sales promotion.

They also wanted fines on the French unit of employment agency Adecco and Districom, a communications agency working for Garnier on the haircare-products promotion in 2000.

But the court threw out the charges, citing a lack of evidence in the complaint by anti-racism group SOS Racisme.

L'Oreal yesterday said it had been confident of winning.

''L'Oreal, which has been promoting diversity and acting against all forms of discrimination for many years, found itself unfairly implicated in this trial,'' a company statement said.

SOS Racisme said it would appeal.

If convicted, people involved in the case could have faced a maximum fine of 45,000 euros (57,480 dollars) and three years in jail.

The trial was the first of its kind involving a major group in France.

REUTERS SI PM1028