Animals in Cosmetics and Household-Product Testing
Testing cosmetics and other consumer products on animals is an ugly business. Experimenters force harsh chemicals down animals’ throats or rub toxic substances into their eyes or raw skin and then record the damage inflicted on their bodies. Not only are these tests extremely cruel, they’re also ineffective because of the vast physiological variations among species.
Bans on Testing Household Products and Cosmetics on Animals
PETA India has worked hard for many years to abolish the cruel, archaic testing of various household products, cosmetics, and their ingredients on animals.
In January 2014, the Soaps and Other Surface Active Agents Sectional Committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards’ Chemical Department removed animal tests from its requirements, effectively banning the testing of household products, such as cleaners, detergents, and their ingredients, on animals. In 2015, to emphasise this ban, the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals issued a circular prohibiting the use of animals in the testing of soaps and detergents to manufacturers and industry associations.
It is illegal to test cosmetics or their ingredients on animals in India, too. In May 2014, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare published the cosmetic testing ban, which adds rule 148-C, “prohibition of testing of cosmetics on animals – No person shall use any animal for testing of cosmetics”, to the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Soon afterwards, the ministry amended rule 135-B to prohibit the import of cosmetics that have been tested on animals in other countries.
These landmark victories took years of intense campaigning by PETA India and support from our affiliates, ministers and other Members of Parliament, scientific and governmental groups, and compassionate companies, celebrities, and animal rights advocates to achieve, and all that hard work has paved the way for more progress!
Use Your Purchasing Power to Help Animals
You can help protect animals from painful, deadly experiments by always supporting cruelty-free companies. Not sure which companies refuse to conduct or commission any tests on animals for ingredients, formulations, or finished products anywhere in the world? Check the PETA US global list of brands and companies that do not test on animals before you hit the shops or fill your basket.
