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Govt mulls labelling of cosmetics with animal ingredients

If the Centre has its way then soon cosmetic products that use animal ingredient in their composition may wear a special label.

The government on Monday told the Delhi high court of its intention to label cosmetics products, including toothpaste, having animal ingredients to indicate their presence.

"There is a possibility of labelling of those cosmetics, which are potential for accidental ingestion" and the issue was being discussed by a committee with the Bureau of Indian Standard and members of Vegetarian Society of India before being finalised by the government, Department of Health said in an affidavit.

A division Bench comprising Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice Madan Lokur asked advocate Raj Panjawani, appearing for a petitioner who raised the issue of animal ingredients in food products and cosmetics, to submit detailed proposals to the committee set up by the government to examine the matter.

The government in its affidavit said that the members of VSI had informed the committee in a recent meeting that certain toothpaste had "ingredients like calcium extracted from non-vegetarian sources like sea shells and sometimes from bones," the court was informed.

The VSI members also said that there was "possibility of the presence of tallow in lipsticks," the affidavit said.

A public interest litigation by a social activist Ozair Hussain had sought labelling of all food products and cosmetics indicating the presence of animal ingredients in such products for the benefit of non-vegetarians.

Government counsel Upamanyu Hazarika told the court that to facilitate such labelling would require amendment in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

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