The announcement that PETA UK has accused nine leading cosmetics brands of breaking European law by selling products tested on animals for the Chinese market is very disturbing, if not surprising.

European Union law bans the sale of any cosmetic product that has been tested on animals in finished form after 2004, as well as cosmetics containing ingredients subject to new animal testing after 2013.

According to PETA, cosmetics brands Benefit, Bliss, Caudalie, Clarins, Clinique, Dior, Estée Lauder and Gucci all sell their products in China, where the law requires pre-market animal testing for all imported cosmetics. There are also reports of Chinese authorities carrying out post-market animal testing on cosmetics already approved for sale, and also requiring companies to carry out additional animal testing for cosmetic ingredients that have not previously been approved for use in China.

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