Animal welfare organization, Cruelty Free International (CFI), has lost a High Court challenge against the United Kingdom (UK) government over allegations that it had abandoned a ban on testing cosmetic product ingredients on animals. Justice Linden ruled that ministers were acting lawfully when they changed a policy on animal testing to align with new European Union (EU) chemical rules that required companies to test some ingredients used in cosmetics on animals to ensure they were safe for workers manufacturing the ingredients. The judge said it was “regrettable” the Government did not publicly announce the policy change but there were no breaches of legal duties by the Home Office and neither CFI nor the public had a “legitimate expectation” to be informed about a change in policy position. UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the country’s ban on animal testing for cosmetic products for the consumer will not be weakened.
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