- By law, all human cosmetics sold in China must first be tested on animals
- Lucrative Chinese beauty sales rose by 18 per cent to £10bn last year
- Cruelty Free International chief executive 'disappointed' to see brands 'letting animals pay the price' for their profit-chasing
Daily Mail, by Suzannah Hills, 31 July 2012
Several big
name beauty companies have been forced to remove a logo that declares them free
of animal cruelty after they decided to sell their products in China.
Christian
Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and L'Oreal are among the high end brands that
can no longer use the internationally-recognised official Leaping Bunny logo to
show their cosmetics are free from animal testing.
It comes
after the firms decided to start selling to China where animal testing on
beauty products for human use is still required by law.
Going global: Big-name beauty brands have changed their animal testing policies so they can start selling their products in China (posed by model) |
Huge
cosmetic names Avon, Estee Lauder and Revlon, along side the likes of Yardley
and Johnson & Johnson have also recently changed their animal testing
policies to enter the ever enlarging Chinese market.
Cosmetic
sales in China increased by 18 per cent to £10billion last year - making it an
attractive financial prospect.
But many
companies selling their products in the country have been asked to fund animal
testing of their products in Chinese laboratories in order for them to be sold
to the public.
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Cruelty Free
International chief executive Michelle Thew said: 'The Humane Standards,
symbolised by the Leaping Bunny logo, is the most rigorous international
cruelty-free certification in the world.
'Each
company is regularly audited to ensure that no animal testing takes place
throughout each company’s entire supply chain.
'Where
companies no longer comply with the Humane Standards, the right to use the
Leaping Bunny logo is retracted.
'Following
discussion with L’Occitane, its certification was retracted in mid-December.
'Some
companies wish to bring ethical beauty to China, however this is not currently
possible until China changes its current policy which requires animal testing.
'I am
disappointed that certain companies have fallen prey to the lure of the Chinese
market and are letting animals pay the price. Consumer pressure can make a
difference.
The Leaping Bunny logo is used by brands that don't test on animals, useful for ethically-conscious beauty fans |
Emerging market: China requires that all cosmetics for human use are first tested on animals (pictured above is a make-up artist at work in Shanghai) |
'We certify
over 400 companies around the world that refuse to allow animal testing into
their products, so there is plenty of choice for everyone who wishes to
eliminate this cruel, unnecessary and outdated practice.
'The only
way that you can avoid animal testing in your toiletries and beauty products is
by looking for the Leaping Bunny logo, or checking www.GoCrueltyFree.org.'
Britain
banned animal testing in 1998 and several large cosmetics companies including
Paul Mitchell, Sainbury's, The Co-operative, Superdrug, Marks & Spencer all
have Leaping Bunny certification meaning they are cruelty-free.
Hair-care
giant John Paul Mitchell Systems pulled out of China after being informed that
the company would have to pay for animal tests in order to continue selling its
products there.
Paul
Mitchell CEO and co-founder John Paul DeJoria put sales in China on hold last
year and confirmed they will not sell products in that country in order to
remain committed to the company's cruelty-free policy.
Mr DeJoria
said: 'Since Paul Mitchell was founded in 1980, we have been cruelty-free.
'We do not
conduct or condone animal testing on our products, and we will not attempt to
market our products in China until alternatives to animal testing methods have
been accepted by the government.
'Paul
Mitchell always has been and always will be cruelty-free.'
Leading the way: Marks & Spencer is one of several big UK firms that has cruelty-free Leaping Bunny approval for its own products |
Dr Dan
Lyons, Campaigns Director of internal animal protection organisation Uncaged,
said it is down to individual companies to make a stand.
He
continued: 'It's a fundamental decision companies need to make.
'It's much
better if they stick to their principles and avoid China, which will put
pressure on the government to change their own policies.
'It's
unnecessary for China to require repeat and totally unnecessary testing on
these products.'
Urban Decay
has also recently decided to cancel its plans to enter the Chinese market after
being informed of the animal testing requirements.
Spokesman
for the charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation,
Alistair Currie, said: 'We are seeing welcome signs of progress in China but
their current animal testing requirements are a major factor pushing up
cosmetics tests on animals globally.
'Companies
who have turned their backs on their non-animal testing policies because of the
lure of China have regressed a generation: their products are once again being
dripped into rabbits' eyes and smeared onto animals' abraded skin.
'While many
progressive and principled companies are sticking to their non-animal testing
policies, others need more motivation.'
But the
revelation that some large name brands are giving up their cruelty-free status
to sell to China will come as a surprise to many shoppers.
And while
an EU-wide ban on the marketing of animal-tested cosmetics is due to come into
force next year, campaigners warn that the European Commission is now
contemplating compromises or even delays to the legislation.
Mr Currie
continued: 'It's vital that the EU protect its own ban on the sale of
animal-tested cosmetics due in 2013.
'We've led
the world on this issue – we mustn't take any steps backward right here in our
own back yard.'
A spokesman
for L'Occitane said: 'L'Occitane does not and never has tested its products on
animals.
'Similarly,
we insist that our suppliers certify that none of the ingredients we use are
tested on animals.
'We do sell
our products in China however and the Chinese government reserves the right to
conduct tests, but we are hopeful that this situation will change soon.
'We are
actively working with the BUAV, with whom we have a long term and constructive
relationship, to influence the Chinese authorities to allow the alternative
tests that apply elsewhere in the world.'
Jean-Christophe
Samyn, Director of Caudalie UK, said: 'We are against animal testing. We do not
test our ingredients and formulas on animals and never will.'
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