Described here are the CTPA's key asks for the incoming UK government to help support industry growth, consumer safety and innovation. Trade barriers, regulations and tax-free shopping to benefit the economy and public well-being also are discussed.
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Described here are the CTPA's key asks for the incoming UK government to help support industry growth, consumer safety and innovation. Trade barriers, regulations and tax-free shopping to benefit the economy and public well-being also are discussed.
As this is my first column of 2025, I hope it is a happy, healthy and prosperous time for you all and that the New Year has started well for you.
As you may know, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) is the UK trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry, representing all types of companies involved in making, supplying and selling cosmetics and personal care products. Its membership covers more than 85% of the UK market by retail value.
The CTPA promotes best practices and advises companies about the strict legal framework for cosmetic products – and as the voice of the UK industry, the association takes its role of representing industry views to the UK Government and external stakeholders seriously. In fact, around this time last year, my column had mentioned the CTPA developed its first manifesto to raise key asks of the industry to the UK Government while also highlighting the important role our products and services play in the daily lives of British citizens.
Along with many other nations across the world, 2024 saw a governmental election in the UK that was called earlier than anticipated – in July. Immediately after the election, the CTPA responded and drafted its Agenda for Government1 document, based heavily on the CTPA manifesto. The agenda is the CTPA’s call for action as the association works with the new UK government on the critical issues affecting our vital industry. The agenda was officially launched at the Houses of Parliament in London on Dec. 3, 2024.2
The key asks of the CTPA agenda are supported by robust rationales and form the basis of the dedicated strategy for our sector proposed to the government. The agenda features five pillars: essentiality, regulation, science, sustainability and business. The individual asks under each pillar represent the most important things the UK Government can do to help ensure the continued and sustainable growth of our sector. Some of the main points are shared next.
The Agenda for Government also introduces the results of a survey of a representative sample of the British public that the CTPA commissioned through Opinium.3 These results, highlighted in the Agenda for Government,1 support the proposed recommendations.
Five Pillars of the CTPA Agenda for Government
Essentiality: The cosmetics, personal care and beauty sector is a highly innovative, creative, skilled and successful UK industry entirely grounded in science. It is both export led and domestically strong, and essential every day for hygiene, well-being, self-esteem and positive mental health as well as important to the UK economy. The CTPA would welcome working with the government to support the industry’s contributing to more sustainable and inclusive growth as part of the government’s growth mission.
Regulation: The CTPA has been calling for the UK Cosmetics Regulation and its key risk-based principles to be retained – and not changed or undermined in the government’s recent Product Safety Review. Results from the Opinium survey3 show the public does not want to see current safety standards diluted.
The CTPA has received reassurance from a government minister that the government recognizes the important role that sector-specific regulation, such as the Cosmetics Regulation, plays in both protecting consumers and supporting businesses to trade on a global stage. I am delighted that he has stated the government has no plans to change this.
Regarding UK REACh (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals Regulation), the CTPA is advocating to reduce the costs and burdens on UK businesses, at this challenging time, while still protecting health and the environment.
The CTPA would urge the government to use the Chemicals Chapter in the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to achieve greater chemicals regulation compatibility, cooperation and data sharing between the UK and EU.
Indeed, the CTPA would like to seize the opportunity presented by the new government’s proposed reset of relations with the EU to establish structured dialogue on a wider range of issues to improve coordination, reduce unnecessary frictions and increase trade and investment. The Opinium survey3 indicates there is strong UK public support for closer engagement with the EU for mutual benefit.
The CTPA also desires the government to continue to support UK exports through the reduction of non-tariff barriers and continue to develop new free trade agreements that include Cosmetics Chapters.
Science: It must be ensured that all UK regulations affecting chemicals and cosmetic products are science-led and risk-based, rather than hazard-based.
The CTPA is also urging the government to advance animal-free science by publishing a cross-government integrated strategy to promote non-animal methods for the safety assessment of chemicals, building on the strict animal testing bans for cosmetic products and their ingredients that have been in place in the UK and Europe for many years. The previous UK government promised a dedicated strategy in the spring, before the General Election was announced, and the CTPA very much hopes the new government will take this forward in the coming months. The Opinium survey3 shows the UK public is extremely supportive of this.
Sustainability: Regarding sustainability – and in particular, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging – the industry seeks to work with the government on the design and delivery of EPR to ensure it achieves its environmental objectives in an efficient way that delivers value for money for all. It is vital that the money raised goes into new and improved infrastructure for reuse and recycling, and that Take Back Schemes4 for small packaging, currently unrecycled at the curbside, are fully recognized and incentivized.
Business: Finally, in terms of business, the CTPA is requesting the return of tax-free shopping in the UK to boost tourism spending in stores and at airports. This will attract shoppers to the UK, increase spend in retail and increase retail employment and investment. It will encourage brands to do business and invest in the UK.
Industry Call for a Dedicated Strategy
To date, the cosmetics, personal care and beauty industry has not had a holistic, UK government-supported strategy dedicated to the sector. In its Agenda for Government, the CTPA is calling for such a strategy to be developed, based on and maintaining the strict legislative framework already in place. Indeed, the CTPA wishes to work with the UK government to secure the continued sustainable growth of this indispensable industry.
References
1. Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA). (2024). CTPA Agenda for Government. Available at: https://www.ctpa.org.uk/agendaforgovernment
2. CTPA. (2024). CTPA Agenda for Government launch event press release. Available at: https://www.ctpa.org.uk/press/ctpa-launches-agenda-for-government-at-parliamentary-reception-8089
3. Opinium Research. (2024, May). Survey conducted for CTPA by Opinium Research on a nationally and politically representative sample of 2000+ UK adults.
4. CTPA. (2023). CTPA position paper on take-back schemes for small cosmetic product packaging. Available at: https://www.ctpa.org.uk/position-papers
