The UK reinstates a ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients

The UK Government has reinstated a ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients following an outcry from the general public.

The UK initially banned animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients in 1998, but a recent High Court case revealed that in 2019 the government started reissuing licenses for animal testing, aligning with EU policy that still requires REACH registrants to test cosmetics ingredients on animals as a last resort to prove their safety for workers or the environment. The UK court case was widely reported in the media. UK Secretary of State Suella Braverman admitted that a "small number of time-limited licenses" had indeed been issued for animal testing of cosmetics ingredients between 2019 and 2022. Responding to public pressure, on 17 May she informed the UK parliament that licenses would no longer be granted for testing chemicals intended only to be used as ingredients in cosmetic products.

This action does not return UK animal testing to the 1998 status. Only around 20% of chemicals used in cosmetics are exclusive to these products. The UK previously had a broader ban in place that covered 'substances used exclusively or predominantly as cosmetic product ingredients'.

In Europe, debate on animal testing for cosmetic ingredients continues as companies align with animal rights groups and the general public calling for action. In 2018 the European Parliament adopted a Resolution calling for a worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics by 2023. Clearly, this aim has yet to be met, but change is happening slowly around the world. For example, animal testing for ingredients used exclusively in cosmetics was banned in Australia in 2021, recent reforms in the US removed requirements for animal testing for cosmetic ingredients, and Canada announced plans to prohibit cosmetics testing earlier this year.

Vireo continues to support and promote more modern, mechanistic and humane approaches for the safety evaluation of new materials.