10 March 2021

Lifting of animal testing requirements set to boost China cosmetics market

In a long-awaited move, China says almost all imported cosmetics will no longer need to have been tested on animals.

Why it matters

The change, which aligns overseas brands with domestic ones, looks set to open up the market to a whole new wave of brands that had previously avoided it because of their ethical concerns about animal testing.

The details

• The country’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) announced the law would take effect from May 1 this year.
• The animal-testing exemption will apply to all “ordinary” cosmetics – ones that don’t make claims about such things as anti-ageing, skin-lightening or acne treatment.
  
• Animal testing will still be required for any product aimed at children, or that is using new ingredients.
• Companies will need to provide a safety assessment and a “good manufacturing practices” certificate issued by the relevant authority where they are located.

Context

The move is the latest in a general trend of liberalising the market. Since 2014, China has allowed cross-border products sold online direct to consumers to be exempt from animal testing, as well as foreign companies that manufacture within China. According to Goldman Sachs, the country’s beauty market is forecast to double in size by 2025 to $145bn.

Sourced from WWD, Goldman Sachs