Animal Welfare in Cosmetics Testing Globally

Cosmetics testing on animals has been banned in the EU since 2013 but continues in many markets worldwide. Understanding the current global landscape helps consumers and advocates direct attention where it is most needed.

Key Facts

The EU ban on cosmetic animal testing and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics took full effect in 2013
China has relaxed mandatory animal testing requirements for imported cosmetics since 2021, allowing alternatives in some categories
An estimated 40 countries still permit or require cosmetic animal testing including the US for some product categories
Humane Society estimates that over 80% of countries globally still allow animal testing for cosmetics
Alternative testing methods including cell culture, computer modelling, and organoids can replace most animal tests
The OECD acceptance of alternative testing methods is critical to their global regulatory recognition
A global ban on cosmetic animal testing would prevent suffering for millions of animals annually

Welfare Considerations

Animal testing for cosmetics involves painful procedures including skin irritation tests, eye irritation using the Draize test, and lethal dose studies. The suffering caused by these tests is real and documented. The existence of validated non-animal alternatives for most cosmetic safety assessments means the welfare costs of continued testing are increasingly unnecessary. The EU ban demonstrates that a major cosmetics market can operate at full scale without animal testing. The primary remaining challenge is market access: companies selling in markets requiring animal testing cannot maintain cruelty-free status regardless of their values. Consumer pressure on brands to avoid animal-tested markets, combined with regulatory harmonisation efforts, addresses this constraint.

What You Can Do

Choose cosmetics certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny or equivalent credible certification schemes
Avoid brands that sell in markets requiring animal testing even if they test alternatives elsewhere
Support organisations campaigning for a global cosmetics animal testing ban
Advocate for OECD acceptance and regulatory harmonisation of alternative testing methods
Contact cosmetics companies to ask about their animal testing policies in all markets where they sell
Donate to organisations developing and validating non-animal testing alternatives for regulatory acceptance