‘Cruelty-free’ cosmetics market to grow by over 6% in coming years

According to Market Research Future, top exporters of cruelty free cosmetics include France, India, Germany and New Zealand.

“​High focus on Research and Development has led to innovations and in the product line and use of natural harmless chemicals which has fueled up the market share of cruelty-free cosmetics in the global market,​” the report notes.

In the headlines​

The news comes as ethical beauty continues to hit the headlines: a recent feature by UK newspaper The Guardian’s beauty editor called attention to the breadth and reach of the trend.

“A ​few months ago, I decided to write a column on the best beauty products for vegans, and soon realised that one column wasn’t going to cut it: I probably had enough for 30. The cruelty-free (no animal testing), vegetarian (no byproducts of animal slaughter) and vegan (no animal ingredients at all) beauty market has exploded in recent years,”​ Sali Hughes observes.​

Alongside these, sustainability must also be considered as a key concern for consumers looking for brands and products with strong ethical profiles.

Animal welfare: a tricky call for international players​

The beauty editor notes that while animal testing is banned on products manufactured or retailed in Europe, some brands who also retail in China have to test products on animals to meet regulations in the country. This complicates the idea of ‘cruelty-free’ for brands operating across these borders.

As it stands, Hughes believes consumer demand for cruelty-free in Europe is starting to outstrip the allure of China.

“Multinational corporations are learning the hard way that consumers, whether vegan, vegetarian or not, broadly expect cruelty-free and vegan products to remain that way, however keen shareholders are to expand into China.”​