Animal testing restrictions are wasted opportunity, say campaigners

Animal rights groups accuse government of betrayal after minister announces ban on animal testing of cleaning products but not ingredients

The government has been accused of introducing a useless ban on using animals to test cleaning products after it emerged that the new prohibition will not apply to testing ingredients.

The coalition promised to end animal testing on household products in its programme for government in 2010. On Thursday Lynne Featherstone, a Home Office minister, announced that the ban would come into force in October but said it would not apply to the ingredients that go into the products, which include detergents, polishes and cleaning products, laundry products, household cleaners, air fresheners and toilet cleaners.