The smell of trouble in US perfume industry

Washington

THE fast growth of specialised scents in fabric softeners, household cleaners and body sprays has helped make America, and the typical American, smell sweeter and cleaner than ever. Even storefronts and airlines are rigging up scent machines to bathe customers in the companies' trademarked aromas.

This is good news for our noses but terrible news for a once-bountiful business: The nation's perfume and cologne industry.