UK bans animal testing for cosmetics ingredients

Announcing the ban, Suella Braverman said only ‘a small number of time-limited licences’ were issued between 2019 and 2022

No new licences will be issued for animal testing of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetics ingredients, the Government has said.

Home secretary Suella Braverman announced the ban on Wednesday, after it recently emerged the UK has been granting licences for animal testing since 2019 in certain circumstances in line with EU chemicals regulations, despite leaving the bloc.

Animal rights campaigners have been calling for an end to the practice as they accused the Government of weakening a 25-year ban.