Become an informed ethical consumer with our quick guide to cosmetics and toiletries testing on animals

For consumers who want to avoid animal testing, there is an ever-growing choice of cosmetics and toiletries on the shelves that claim to be 'Not Tested on Animals'. But how can you be sure that the products you buy live up to their claims? Take a look at the facts:

What does cosmetics 'testing on animals' mean?
All sorts of cosmetic and toiletry products and ingredients are tested on animals, such as perfumes, shampoos, toothpastes, hair dyes, skin creams, make-up or deodorants. The most common tests are eye tests, skin tests and oral toxicity:

• Eye tests: substances are dripped into the eyes of conscious rabbits, who are usually immobilised in stocks, and the resultant damage to the eye - such as swelling, reddening and blindness - is scored according to severity.
• Skin tests: substances are applied to the shaved and abraded back of a laboratory animal (usually a rabbit, guinea pig or hamster) and the skin damage - such as cracking, bleeding or ulceration - is scored.
• Toxicity tests: animals are dosed, once or repeatedly, with a substance either by oral-gavage (through a tube directly into the stomach) or forced inhalation, so that the resultant toxicity (poisoning) effects on the animal can be noted.

What does the law say?
Animal tests for cosmetics are not specifically required by law; companies are simply obliged to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their product before being granted regulatory approval, which can be done by using available approved non-animal test methods, plus combinations of established ingredients for which safety data already exists.

When will the law be changed?
The UK banned animal testing for cosmetics in 1998 and in November 2002 the EU voted to ban animal testing for cosmetics to come into force from around 2009. Until then, animal testing for cosmetics will continue around the world, so 'ethical consumers' still need to be vigilant when it comes to avoiding animal tested cosmetics. Changing the law to provide greater protection for laboratory animals is a very slow process - it has taken the EU 13 years to finally resolve the cosmetics animal testing debate, and countries such as the USA and Japan are a long way from ending animal testing for cosmetics.

Why are some cruelty-free labels misleading?
It is often difficult to differentiate between companies that do and do not test on animals. Many companies do not label their products clearly or accurately and others make confusing statements when questioned about their policy on animal testing. For example, a bottle claiming 'This product has not been tested on animals' may only be telling half the story - the final product may not have been animal tested, but the individual ingredients could have been. So even if the manufacturer claims to be cruelty-free, the ingredient supplier could have tested on animals. Chances are, you won't be able to tell that from the product label.

How can I find out about cruelty-free brands?
Looking for statements on labels is unfortunately not enough. If you want to be sure that the products you buy have the best 'Not Tested on Animals' credentials, then look for products approved under The Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS).

The HCS is the world's only international criteria for cosmetic and toiletry products that are genuinely 'Not Tested on Animals'. It was launched in 1998 by 50 of the world's leading animal protection organisations and is currently run in America, Canada, the United Kingdom and much of Europe. By offering a single, internationally recognised set of cruelty-free criteria, the HCS helps ethical consumers avoid animal tested cosmetics and toiletries.

HCS companies must not conduct or commission animal testing, and must introduce a fixed cut-off date for ingredient purchasing throughout their supply chain. In the UK, the HCS is run by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), which produces the Little Book of Cruelty Free. This lists all the companies currently approved under the scheme, including Tesco, The Body Shop, Barry M and Montagne Jeunesse.

For a free copy of the Little Book of Cruelty Free email info@buav.org quoting reference LBV. Alternatively, contact:

BUAV
16a Crane Grove
London N7 8NN
Visit www.buav.org Tel: 020 7700 4888
Fax: 020 7700 0252