COSMETICS on sale in high-street shops were tested on animals years after the practice was banned in the UK.

Several popular beauty products contain an ingredient tested on live pregnant rats and their foetuses in the US.

MPs, and scientists developing alternatives to animal testing, said consumers had been duped into thinking all beauty products sold in Britain were “cruelty-free”.

A ban on live animal testing of cosmetics was introduced in 1998 when the government withdrew licences for testing ingredients in make-up and other beauty products. A voluntary agreement was reached with British manufacturers not to test ingredients on animals.

Three popular products, produced under the leading brand Olay, contain a cosmetic preservative, butylparaben, that was tested on animals.

The ingredient is contained in Olay Regenerist Night moisturiser and Olay Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod, both of which are sold in high-street stores. It is also used in Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, due on sale in Britain in June.

Scientific papers show that Procter and Gamble (P&G), which owns Olay, tested butylparaben in the US in 2004, force-feeding it to pregnant rats. The rats’ unborn offspring were removed by caesarean section and tested for toxic effects. P&G said the tests had been done on behalf of the industry at the request of European Union regulators.

A spokeswoman for the Dr Hadwen Trust, which invests in the development of nonanimal tests, said: “Cruelty-free test methods are often faster, cheaper and more reliable than experimenting on animals.”

P&G said that the research used methods that were “scientifically sound, universally accepted and government-endorsed”. A spokesman said: “Research involving animals is a last resort at P&G. In fact we have invested nearly £100m to help develop proven alternative methods. We are committed to ultimately eliminating all animal testing for ingredients in every country where our products are available.”

Dr Chris Flower, director general of the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association, insisted that testing some ingredients on animals in the absence of advanced nonanimal tests was necessary.

However, Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, who campaigned for the test ban, said: “It is disingenuous for these companies to give the impression that they are going along with the testing ban when they are continuing to test on animals.”

Next year animal testing for cosmetics will be banned throughout Europe by the EU.

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