China Reduces Animal Testing on Cosmetics

Good news on Wednesday from the China Food and Drug Administration (CDFA), which announced that beginning in June 2014, it will no longer mandate animal testing for some categories of domestically-made cosmetics.

Previously, all cosmetics intended for human use were required to be tested on animals first. The animal testing requirement will remain, sadly, on all imported cosmetics, so don't expect to see outlets of The Body Shop finally opening in Beijing. Now owned by L'Oréal, the world's largest cosmetics maker, The Body Shop has displayed the phrase "Against Animal Cruelty" in its shops since its earliest days, and adheres to the strict Humane Cosmetics Standard.

“This change has been long hoped for but few anticipated it happening quite so soon. In many ways this is a victory for all anti-testing campaigners. The people who persuaded Western governments to ban animal testing have caused a domino effect that has resonated with both the authorities and people of China resulting in this ground-breaking progress," said Animals Asia Animal Welfare Director Dave Neale in an email statement. “The world has long talked of China being open for business – well now it’s open to discussion too. China is listening and it’s taking action," he said.

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China welcomed "the breakthrough of CFDA in the efforts to reduce the number of animals used in cosmetic tests and simplify the administrative process before market launch." The Chamber maintains a cosmetics working group, which lobbies continuously to bring CFDA regulations in line with European Union standards. In contrast with current Chinese standards, animal testing on all cosmetics sold in the EU is prohibited.