Cosmetics on sale in high-street shops were tested on animals years after the practice was banned in the UK.
Several popular beauty products contain an ingredient tested on live pregnant rats and their foetuses in the US.
The ingredient is contained in Olay Regenerist Night moisturiser and Olay Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod, both of which are sold in high-street stores. It is also used in Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, due on sale in Britain in June.
Scientific papers show that Procter and Gamble (P&G), which owns Olay, tested butylparaben in the US in 2004, force-feeding it to pregnant rats. The rats’ unborn offspring were removed by caesarean section and tested for toxic effects. P&G said the tests had been done on behalf of the industry at the request of European Union regulators.
MPs, and scientists developing alternatives to animal testing, said consumers had been duped into thinking all beauty products sold in Britain were “cruelty-freeâ€.
A ban on live animal testing of cosmetics was introduced in 1998 when the government withdrew licences for testing ingredients in make-up and other beauty products. A voluntary agreement was reached with British manufacturers not to test ingredients on animals.
Three popular products, produced under the leading brand Olay, contain a cosmetic preservative, butylparaben, that was tested on animals.
A spokeswoman for the Dr Hadwen Trust, which invests in the development of nonanimal tests, said: “Cruelty-free test methods are
often faster, cheaper and more reliable than experimenting on animals.â€
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