China moves closer to animal-testing ban on post-market cosmetics

In China, animal testing for cosmetics is rife, and all too common. The practice is unnecessary, and animal testing often yields inaccurate results, adding to the barbaric nature of it.

However, the good news is that there have been developments which see that animal tests will not be routine for post-market products – post-market products are items that are already on the market. Testing on animals for products being introduced to the market unfortunately remains the same.

A spokesperson from Humane Society International (HSI) explained, saying: “This is the first time they’ve published the routine test regimen, so it provides a good insight into what is normally being required post-market testing (that is testing of products already on the Chinese market).”

They added: “It reveals that no animal tests are listed for routine post-market surveillance. That isn’t a guarantee that animal tests will never be used post-market, but they don’t appear to be required routinely.”

Whilst this is a considerable step forward for animal testing in China being reformed, there is still a long way to go. HSI’s spokesperson explained further, adding that “if a consumer’s made a complaint about a product, animal tests could still be the default unless, and until, authorities accept modern non-animal eye/skin irritation tests and invest in the local infrastructure required to use such tests.”

The matter of animal testing remains wholly unsolved in China, and as consumers educate themselves about the practice of it and learn more about veganism, sales of animal-tested products are likely to be impacted.

The cruelty-free cosmetics market is expected to continue growing with a CAGR of 6.1 per cent by 2023, with consumer demand fuelling the trend. Organic and natural beauty products are also seeing a continued growth, topping over £86 million in sales throughout 2018.

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