Has it ever crossed your mind that your favourite shampoos ingredients may have been tested on animals? Unfortunately animal testing has not been completely phased out as most people assume. Even previously ethical companies like The Body Shop are now owned by L’oréal, and suddenly their ‘against animal testing’ logos have disappeared off their products.
However a total ban on animal testing of cosmetics only comes into effect in March 2013, and until then animals outside of Europe will continue to be used in repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity and toxicokinetics for which non-animal alternatives are not yet available.
The 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive
In 2003, the EU agreed to end the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals. This 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive requires a total ban on the testing of cosmetics on animals from 2013 whether or not non-animal alternatives are available. Skin Corrosion, phototoxicity and skin absorption tests are no longer carried out on animals.
The 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive will include a marketing ban on products coming into the EU from elsewhere in the world (which have possibly been tested on animals). It is made clear in the Amendment that responsibility lies with the company to monitor the supply chain and ensure, no ingredients are used, which have been tested on animals.
The ban on cosmetics testing on animals will come into effect “only if alternatives have been developed.” I do not doubt that some cosmetics companies are happy to have this loophole. This clause takes away consumer choice for non-animal tested products.
Fixed Cut off Date Policy
Luckily there are companies are coming on board and are committing to being animal friendly. As Naturewatch point out, companies who operate a fixed cut-off date policy are deemed to be cruelty free.
Basically this means that a company will not buy finished products or ingredients that have been animal tested after a certain date eg: 1986. This is the most effective way of sending a clear message to the whole industry that the company neither sees a need for animal testing- nor is prepared to profit from animal tested ingredients. If a company does not use a fixed cut-off date policy (FCOD policy), it still profits from animal testing by providing a need for animal tested ingredients.
Five Year Rolling programme
This programme is where the company or manufacturer does not use ingredients that have been animal-tested within the last five years. This means the company makes no commitment against animal testing and is still profiting from and continuing animal testing. The company delaying buying an animal tested ingredient for five years makes little difference to most suppliers, as they know that companies will buy the ingredients eventually.
The Humane Cosmetics Standard has a “leaping bunny” logo as a guarantee to consumers that the product has not been tested on animals nor contains ingredients that were tested on animals.
Company practice
Being aware of parent company practices is essential if you want to avoid funding animal testing. Many of my friends believe they are buying ethical products when purchasing from The Body Shop. However The Body Shop was sold to L’Oreal in 2006, which means L’Oreal (a company that still test on animals) profits from your purchases.
Another huge company who have caused controversy in regards to animal testing are Procter & Gamble. In 2001 and 2003 P& G company IAMS/Eukanuba’s were exposed by the press and media for needless invasive and deadly tests on hundreds of cats, dogs and other animals. These horrifying experiments caused organ failure, obesity, malnutrition, liver damage, painful allergic reactions, diarrhoea, severe skin disorders, skin wounds and many other painful conditions. P&G have also been guilty of doing tests which aren’t even a legal requirement on chemicals that have been used safely for years.
In 2003 IAMS/Eukanuba were found to have kept dogs in appalling condition, after being force-fed vegetable oil, and other needless invasive experiments. The dogs’ voice-boxes were removed so stop them from howling in pain.
Increase in legislation has led to many companies outsourcing their testing to Asia (especially Singapore and China) where regulations are not so strict.
What you can do
Animal testing continues partly due to the ignorance of shoppers so get informed! To be up to date on what companies are acclaimed by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), and deemed to be cruelty free visit the Go Cruelty Free website. Try to buy everything from companies who are on this list or operate a FCOD policy and therefore have no need to test on animals.
Do not be fooled by fancy advertising- any product claiming to have a new ingredient and works better than ever means it must have been tested on animals.
Support companies like Lush who not only sell vegetarian and vegan products, are against animal testing but also don’t do business with manufacturers who test on animals on ANY of their products. Spread the word among your friends and colleagues about companies who animal test, and boycott all products from anyone who perpetuates animal testing. There are plenty of cruelty free options out there so have fun trying them!