New Zealand’s scheme ditches animal testing requirement in China’s beauty retail market

A New Zealand government scheme has introduced a certification program that allows brands to sell products in brick-and-mortar stores in China without having to undergo animal testing.  

In China, the government requires all beauty products sold on shelves to be tested on animals. International brands may sell their products without this requirement only through cross-border e-commerce.  

The International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) partnered to develop the scheme, which offers brands an ethical way into China’s retail space. 

Beauty manufacturers will undergo an audit by the IANZ, and if approved, they will receive a certificate from the MBIE. The Chinese government officially recognizes the compliance certificate. 

Multimillion-dollar market

The Chinese beauty market is valued at NZ$200 million (US$120.5 million), and the new program will drive strong returns for exporters and boost the Kiwi economy, says the New Zealand Government. 

“This is a smart, practical step that removes a long-standing trade barrier and opens up valuable new channels for our exporters,” says Todd McClay, trade and investment minister and associate minister of foreign affairs at the New Zealand Government.

“It means more high-quality, innovative New Zealand products on shelves in China - not just online, but in stores across one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets.”

Scott Simpson, the New Zealand government’s consumer affairs minister, details, “The scheme is a strong example of the Government’s commitment to backing New Zealand businesses and removing barriers to growth.”

New Zealand banned animal testing for cosmetics in 2015. The ban remains in place, the government says, assuring Chinese consumers that Kiwi products are ethically produced and safe.