A laser markable white pigment composition

A laser markable white pigment composition for addition to or coating on a material, includes a first pigment which is markable by ultraviolet laser, a second pigment, which is nonabsorbing in the ultraviolet region of the optical spectrum and which has a white appearance in the visible region of the optical spectrum, with the ratio of the amount of first pigment to amount of second pigment being in the range of from 4:1 to 1:10, so that the second pigment is present in an amount sufficient to increase the optical density, that is the whitening effect, of the composition, without adversely affecting the laser markability of the composition, and a carrier which is at least one fluoropolymer transparent in the ultra violet region of the optical spectrum.