Cruelty-free cosmetics

But I thought animal testing was banned in the UK? So why are the products on our shelves not all cruelty free? 

Animal testing was completely banned in the UK as early as 1998, and across the rest of the EU in 2013. However, in a few countries such as China, it remains compulsory for any company that sells cosmetics to pay for the products to be tested on animals. So while companies may be complying with the animal testing ban in Europe, they may be selling the same products on other markets that have been tested on animals.

Now, things are slowly improving. Since January 1st, 2021, China introduced a new rule stating that "imported ordinary cosmetics such as shampoo and makeup products will no longer have to be animal tested in Chinese laboratories". This is a huge step forward, but the law still states that "special" cosmetics will still require data from animal tests to be approved.

So, in short, no brand that sells in China is cruelty free. But with increased awareness on the topic and pressure on companies from animal rights activists, there are plenty of brands to choose from!

picture taken from: https://cosmeticschinaagency.com/china-has-decided-to-abandon-animal-testing-for-foreign-cosmetics-brands/