CTPA unveils Agenda for Government to aid sustainable beauty industry growth

The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) formally launched its ‘Agenda for Government’ at a reception in the Houses of Parliament on 3 December.

The UK trade association, which represents companies involved in making, supplying and selling cosmetics and personal care products, outlined a series of proposals to help the industry grow sustainably in the next five years and beyond.

Proceedings were opened by Deputy Speaker, the Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, followed by acknowledgement of the beauty industry’s contributions to UK GDP from Thierry Cheval, CTPA chair and MD/country manager for L’Orèal UK & Ireland. Other speakers were Dr. Emma Meredith (director-general of CTPA), The Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat spokesperson on business and economy) and Chi Onwurah MP (Labour).

L-R: The Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, The Lord Fox, Thierry Cheval & Dr. Emma Meredith

The Agenda for Government covers five pillars: Essentiality, Regulation, Science, Sustainability and Business. The proposals are backed up by research conducted by insight agency, Opinium.

The key points in the Agenda for Government are:

1. The government should work with CTPA and the industry on a dedicated strategy for the sector, as an extension of the government’s proposed Industrial Strategy.

2. The government must protect the vitally important provisions in the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR) in the Product Safety Review (PSR).

3. CTPA asks that decisions on the safe use of cosmetic ingredients and finished cosmetics and personal care products continue to follow a robust science-led and risk-based approach.

4. The government should move fast to strengthen relations, reduce barriers to trade and increase regulatory cooperation with the EU.

5. The government should ensure that UK REACH is delivered in a way that reduces costs and bureaucracy for all companies of all sizes as much as possible, ensures strong regulatory cooperation with the EU – including data sharing if possible – and continues to protect consumers and the environment.

6. The government should publish a strategy that establishes a commitment to integrate the use of animal-free methods into the safety assessment of chemicals, as was committed to by the previous government.

7. On sustainability and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), industry would like to work with government on the design and delivery of EPR to ensure it achieves its environmental objectives.

The CTPA team

Dr Emma Meredith, director-general of CTPA, comments: “A clear election result and a significant mandate for the UK government provides the administration with an opportunity to plan long-term for the future success of business, and specifically for the cosmetics, personal care and beauty industry.

“The sector is based on science and innovation, contains both multinational corporations and a huge number of SMEs, and is a major exporter. It is focused on safety, sustainability and inclusivity and is present on every high street in the country through retail, salons, barbers and spas. It is a major UK success story and we want to partner with government on a dedicated strategy to secure the continued sustainable growth of this indispensable industry.”

Download CTPA’s Agenda for Government here.