A cruelty-free product is, as the name suggests, a product that is cruelty-free to animals. This means that no animals have suffered during the manufacturing process and no tests are carried out on them. And today we will talk about cruelty free cosmetics.
The fact that a cosmetic is cruelty free does not mean that it is vegan, in this case, it may contain ingredients of animal origin such as beeswax or royal jelly, as no animal has been harmed in order to obtain any of its components.
Just as a vegan product does not have to be cruelty free, vegan certification only guarantees that none of the ingredients are of animal origin but does not specify whether the ingredients and the product have been tested on animals.
Have Europe Cruelty Free Cosmetics?
Since 2003, animal testing of cosmetic products has been banned in Europe and in 2009, animal testing of ingredients or combinations of ingredients in cosmetic products and the distribution of products with ingredients that have been tested on animals was banned.
Does this mean that all products sold in Europe are cruelty free cosmetics?
Not really. There are some exceptions allowed by the European Union. For example, if they contain ingredients included in categories other than cosmetics (pharmaceutical, cleaning…), they can be tested on animals and also if non-animal tests are considered insufficient to guarantee their safety.
Furthermore, the law allows the same products to be sold in different markets with different legislations, therefore, even if the product you buy in Europe has not been tested on animals, the same product sold in another market where testing on animals is a requirement, will be tested on animals, and in that case, it is not a cruelty free brand.
For example, in China, animal testing is mandatory by law, so even if a brand produces and markets in Europe, if it wants to access the Chinese market, it will have to undergo animal testing.
But in this case, there are also exceptions. For example, if a brand sells its products online to the end buyer, but they are not displayed in physical shops, then in that case, it could “skip” the law, just as if a brand only wants to market in Hong Kong and Taiwan, in that case they could still be cruelty free, since in both cases they are not required.
Just as if a brand manufactures in China, but does not sell its products there, it can avoid animal testing.
Let’s give a brief overview of the cruelty free cosmetics scenarios:
– Manufactured and marketed in Europe: Cruelty free
– Manufactured in China, but NOT sold there: May be cruelty free
– Manufacture in Europe and physical sale in China (except Hong Kong and Taiwan) NOT cruelty free
– Manufactured in Europe and sold in Hong Kong and Taiwan: May be cruelty free
– Manufacture in Europe and sale in China online to the final consumer: May be cruelty free
– Manufacture and marketing in China: NOT cruelty free
How are Cruelty Free Cosmetics Products Labelled?
We, as consumers, are becoming increasingly aware of the environment, ethics, and the sustainability of the planet. For this reason, we are increasingly looking for alternatives that do not harm nature or animals.
Brands have realised the pull that these actions are having and have been quick to put the “cruelty free” or “not tested on animals” logo on their products.
This type of labelling in Europe makes no sense because none of the products marketed within the EU are tested on animals, neither the final product nor any of its ingredients.
The average consumer, who has no reason to know this and sees the labels, thinks that he or she is making a free choice, but is doing so on the basis of a half-truth, because whether or not the product is labelled, it is still cruelty free.
Nowadays, there is no public body that accredits the “cruelty free cosmetics” seal, they are all private companies (which have to be paid to obtain the certificate) with their own criteria for awarding them and, therefore, none of these seals is official.
Do you look at the certification seals before buying a product, or do you first check whether the brand sells in other markets so as not to support (often unknowingly) animal testing for cosmetic purposes? I would love to know your opinion and what you think about cruelty free cosmetics.
