Animal testing: UK bans testing licences for make-up ingredients

The UK government has banned giving licences for animal testing of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

The announcement comes after it was revealed that the government had allowed animal testing for some make-up ingredients to start again, despite a 25-year ban.

A ban against animal testing for make-up and its ingredients was brought in in 1998 and is still in place but the government said it had changed policy to match rules in the European Union (EU), a group of countries that the UK left in 2020.

The tests in question fell under EU chemical rules which state new chemicals need to be tested on animals to make sure they are safe for workers to handle.

However, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has now said that no new licences will be granted.

A recent court ruling said the government changed a policy on animal testing to match with EU chemical rules.

This decision had been heavily criticised by animal rights group Cruelty Free International (CFI) and by more than 80 major beauty and cosmetic brands, including Body Shop and Boots.

They said that the news meant the government had in effect lifted the ban.

A ban on animal testing for make-up ingredients was introduced in 1998 and is still in place, but the government said it changed a policy to match rules in the European Union (EU).

In 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), an EU agency which is in charge of chemical regulation, ruled that companies needed to test some ingredients used in cosmetics on animals to ensure they were safe for workers manufacturing the ingredients.

However, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has now announced that no new licences will be granted.

In a written statement to Parliament, Ms Braverman said: "The government recognises the public concern around the testing on animals of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics, and the new opportunities available to us to depart from the EU testing regime.

"I can confirm, therefore, that from today no new licences will be granted for animal testing of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

"The government is also engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on these legacy licences."