Under Regulation 2026/405, the new EU regulation aims to prevent the commercialisation of products tested on animals in the development of detergents and other substances used to produce cleaning products.

The production companies will have to rely on internationally recognised alternative methods, such as lab testing and computer modelling.

Products that depend on animal testing and do not meet the new European standards will be banned from sale in Portugal and other EU countries. However, there is some flexibility for essential products that must be tested in animals to demonstrate reliability. However, these cases will still be strictly overseen.

What may happen is that the already known products may have their formulas changed or disappear from Portuguese shops over time.

Visible changes

One of the most visible changes will be the amount of information available when you pick up a product.

The most visible change will be the amount of information available on each product’s label-

The EU will include a QR code on the majority of products, allowing people to scan it to find detailed information about their ingredients and testing methods.

Beyond the ingredients

The regulation doesn’t stop at ingredients. Packaging is also part of the picture.

The EU is pushing for reduced waste, which means less reliance on single-use plastic and greater emphasis on refill systems. Over time, you may see more shops offering options to top up cleaning products instead of buying new bottles each time.

To reduce waste, the EU wants to rely less on single-use plastic and emphasise refill systems. Some brands in Portugal already use this system in their brands.