February 6, 2020

Similar legislation, requiring companies to use non-animal testing for measuring product safety, has also been introduced (or will be soon) in Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, according to multiple sources.

Lawmakers, activists, and industry groups hope this new slate of U.S. animal-testing laws will force Chinese personal care companies to change their practice of animal testing, in order to keep their access open to the voraciously hungry U.S. cosmetic, skincare, and personal care markets.

To date, California, Nevada, and Illinois already have laws that ban the sale or import of animal-tested personal care and cosmetics products, beginning this year. These kinds of cruelty-free measures are largely supported by consumers and by industry heavyweights like Avon, Unilever and Procter & Gamble.

Instead, this recent wave of U.S. laws aims to put pressure on China, a country which currently requires cosmetics sold in its “large, lucrative market” to be tested on animals, to change their long-held practices.

“Many (U.S.) companies already use non-animal testing. Instead, these laws draw a line in the sand that puts pressure on the U.S. government to pass a nationwide ban and help end China’s requirement that most cosmetics sold in that nation of more than 1.4 billion people undergo testing on animals by Chinese regulators,” according to the Associated Press.

Many industry experts hope a full ban on animal-testing in the U.S. will spur international change on the matter, as happened in 2013, when the European Union officially banned animal testing.

The Humane Cosmetics Act, which would end the use of animal testing for personal care products and ingredients (with certain exceptions) within the United States, and end the importation of cosmetic products tested on animals, was first introduced in 2014.

However, despite bipartisan support, progress has been slow to push The Humane Cosmetics Act into national law. The most recent iteration of the bill was reintroduced in 2019.

But, despite the slow movement, many are hopeful the new decade will bring about one national law surrounding animal testing, especially since the Humane Cosmetics act has such widespread industry support.

In particular, the influential Personal Care Products Council has been one of the bill’s most vocal and proud backers.

“We are proud of the progress that has been made so far and are committed to the goal of completely eliminating the need for animal testing to assure cosmetic product safety,” according to an official statement Francine Lamoriello, EVP, Global Strategies, Personal Care Products Council. “Eliminating animal testing in an ambitious goal. Working with animal welfare groups and members of Congress to enact this important legislation helps us protect animal welfare while supporting the continued development of safe and innovative cosmetics and personal care products.”

Animal-tested cosmetics are banned in 39 countries including within the European Union, Australia, and India. Will the United States and China be the next countries to join in on banning animal-testing? Only time will tell. 

But, as consumers clamor for more green, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free personal care options, it’s clear changes are in the air.  How far they go, and how fast they happen, is still not certain – but it is certain that changes are on their way.  Beauty product formulators and product planners need to be ready for them.

Take advantage of our new anti-aging guide, featuring the most innovative, highest-quality ingredients in the personal care industry.