Cruelty Free International has just signed an agreement with Chinese authorities that allows foreign cosmetics companies to enter the Chinese market without having to undergo animal testing.
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The Chinese market is burgeoning in cosmetics, so it’s natural for growing businesses to set their sights on China. Besides having to appoint a Chinese Responsible Agent, there is one particularly difficult obstacle for Australian cosmetics businesses seeking to enter the Chinese market: CFDA’s requirement that products are tested on animals.
Western consumers are increasingly voting with their wallets, choosing to purchase only from brands who adhere to cruelty-free practices. As we saw with NARS’ entrance into the Chinese market in 2017, cruelty-free brands who choose to sell in China face serious backlash.
Cruelty Free International signed an agreement with Chinese authorities on June 21 that allows foreign companies to sell their products in China without having to undergo animal testing for a set trial period. Brands will be invited to join a pilot period by Cruelty Free International.
Brands who do not join the pilot still have options for selling products in China without compromising cruelty-free practices.
The CFDA allows brands to sell products not tested on animals via cross-border e-commerce platforms, but not in traditional physical stores.
Brands can also establish a physical presence in China by operating ‘stockless’ retail fronts, in which customers can try samples and then order online. The physical product can then be shipped from warehouses in China’s free trade zone or from internationally.
Image courtesy of El Cato.