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Animal testing for cosmetics to restart in U.K.

Testing on Animals - Level 0

Animal testing in the UK will happen for the first time in 25 years. Judges at a court in London followed European laws on animal testing. They said scientists can test chemicals on animals. Some chemicals are already used in sunscreen, foundation and skincare products.

Cosmetics companies in the UK are unhappy. A group of 80 brands said testing was shocking. The Body Shop said re-starting animal testing would hurt millions of campaigners who love animals. A scientist at a big cosmetics company said we could use technology instead of using animals.

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Testing on Animals - Level 1

Cosmetics will be tested on animals in the UK for the first time in 25 years. Testing on animals was only OK if it benefitted humans. Scientists could do tests on animals to make new medicines. Judges in London followed European laws on animal testing. One chemical that can be tested on animals is already used in sunscreen, foundation and skincare products. The UK still wants to protect "animals in science".

People are angry in the UK. Cosmetics companies are also unhappy. A group of 80 cosmetics brands said the new law was shocking. The Body Shop cosmetics company said allowing animal testing for cosmetics would hurt millions of campaigners who want to protect animals. A scientist at one of the world's biggest cosmetics companies said scientists could use technology instead of using animals.

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Testing on Animals - Level 2

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The UK will allow cosmetics to be tested on animals for the first time in 25 years. Since 1998, testing on animals was OK if there were benefits for humans. Scientists could test chemicals on animals to make new medicines. Judges at a court in London followed European Union laws on using chemicals in animal testing. One chemical that can be tested on animals is already used a lot. It is in sunscreen, foundation and skincare products. The UK government said it was "committed to the protection of animals in science".

Many people are angry with the decision. Many cosmetics companies are unhappy. A group of over 80 cosmetics brands wrote a letter to the UK government. It said the new law was shocking. A spokesperson for the Body Shop said: "Allowing animal testing for cosmetics would be a [horrible] blow to the millions of people who have supported campaigns to end this [terrible] practice." A scientist at one of the world's largest cosmetics companies said animal testing was unnecessary because of the technology we have today.

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Testing on Animals - Level 3

The government in the U.K. will allow cosmetics to be tested on animals for the first time in 25 years. It banned testing in 1998. It was still allowed on animals if there were great benefits for humans. This meant scientists could test chemicals on animals to develop new medicines. However, a court in London said animal testing for cosmetics could start again. The judges in the court followed European Union laws on the safer use of chemicals in animal testing. One chemical that can now be tested on animals is already widely used. It is in sunscreen, foundation and skincare products. The U.K. government said it was "committed to the protection of animals in science".

Many people are angry with the government's decision. Surprisingly, many cosmetics companies are unhappy. A group called Cruelty Free International, which is made up of over 80 cosmetics brands, wrote a letter to the U.K. government. It said changing the law was a terrible decision. A spokesperson for the Body Shop said: "Allowing animal testing for cosmetics would be a devastating blow to the millions of people who have supported campaigns to end this appalling practice." A scientist at Unilever, one of the world's largest cosmetic companies, said testing was "unnecessary". She said that with today's technology, testing could be carried out without using animals.

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