WHAT IS FOREVER AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING?
Our Forever Against Animal Testing global campaign is how we put our passion for animal rights into action – we're working towards a worldwide ban on animal tested cosmetics… forever. Approximately 80% of countries have no laws around animal testing, which is why we haven’t stopped fighting for the rights of animals since 1989. Working with our customers and Cruelty Free International, our Forever Against Animal Testing campaign is helping wipe out animal testing in cosmetics for good, so animals no longer have to suffer for our beauty.
According to Cruelty Free International, over 500,000 animals may be used in cosmetic animal testing worldwide every single year, even though alternative testing options exist that would allow neither animals or consumers to suffer. Non-animal tests are often more effective, more reliable and faster, proving that animal cruelty is an unnecessary evil. Join us on this journey as we encourage more countries to ban animal tested cosmetics.
Thanks to your support, we’ve gathered 8 million signatures for our campaign to end animal testing in cosmetics forever.
A MESSAGE FROM CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL
“In October, The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International took 8.3 million voices from all over the world to the United Nations HQ in New York to call for a global end to animal testing in cosmetics.
“These signatures represent the latest milestone of more than 30 years of advocacy between Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop, the first international beauty brand to campaign against animal testing in cosmetics.
“We know we couldn’t do this without you. There is still much work to do, but with your continued support we know we’ll succeed.”
Michelle Thew
CEO, Cruelty Free International
WHAT COMES NEXT?
Together with Cruelty Free International, we are working with countries that are reconsidering their cosmetics animal testing laws to make the ban a reality. We will join forces with our customers, campaigners and other brands around the world to secure an international agreement to ban animal testing in cosmetics internationally for good.
WHEN WILL ANIMAL TESTING BE BANNED FOR GOOD?
Like all international agreements, it takes time, but we know it’s within reach! Watch this space. We’re working hard with campaigners and other brands across the globe to help make it happen.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Look out for the Leaping Bunny Logo. The Leaping Bunny Logo can only be displayed by brands that don’t test on animals. We’re proud to feature the Leaping Bunny Logo on all of our products because it shows our commitment to being Forever Against Animal Testing in cosmetics.
The Body Shop believes that beauty products should be cruelty free. We are proud to be Leaping Bunny approved. A global program, Leaping Bunny required cruelty free standards over and about legal requirements.
All our own brand cosmetic and personal care products are approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny program, the internationally recognizable gold standard for cruelty free products. We adhere to a fixed cut-off date policy and proactively monitor our suppliers to ensure that our products continue to adhere to the Leaping Bunny criteria. Our supplier monitoring system is also independently audited.
WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR…
The Body Shop started campaigning to end animal testing in cosmetics. We were the first global cosmetics company to fight this cruelty.
1998
Following our sustained campaign, the UK government banned animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients.
2003
Campaigning by The Body Shop and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, now Cruelty Free International) contributed to a European Union ban on animal testing in cosmetic products.
2009
The European Union implements its ban on animal testing in cosmetic ingredients.
2013
We celebrate history. The sale and import of animal tested products and ingredients is banned, completing the EU ban. Our campaign with Cruelty Free International collects 1 million signatures.
2017
We reach 3 million signatures in our campaign with Cruelty Free International.
2018
We reach 8 million signatures in our campaign with Cruelty Free International. We take our petition to the United Nations to ban animal testing in cosmetics worldwide.
We continue to see great progress across the world. In June, Nevada becomes the second state after California to end the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics, while in Canada all three major parties spoke in favor of the Canadian Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act. Cosmetics animal testing prohibitions come into force in Taiwan and the House of Representatives in Colombia vote in favor of a bill to end the use of animals in tests for cosmetic products and ingredients.
SO HOW DO WE TEST OUR PRODUCTS?
ANIMAL-FRIENDLY TESTING METHODS
Our products undergo extensive testing to ensure they’re safe, effective and animal-friendly. We use three main testing methods involving computer data, laboratory-created tissues:
1. In-silico (computer-based) analysis uses readily available, existing data to help us to assess the suitability of similar materials through extrapolation.
2. Laboratory-produced skin is grown from human skin cells. It allows us to conduct safety checks on cells that react in virtually the same way as human skin, without harming any people or animals.
3. Finally, to ensure good tolerance on people, we will often test our products using patch testing. This involves placing a very small amount of product on a person's skin to ensure that it is safe and effective, usually at the final stage of testing a new formula.
4. We will also carry out controlled user trials where people test our products for both skin compatibility and cosmetic effectiveness, under the supervision of medical experts when required.
All cosmetics companies can adopt these kinds of animal-friendly testing methods. That’s what we’re fighting for worldwide with our Forever Against Animal Testing campaign.
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Animal Testing Timeline
Animal welfare advocates have been campaigning to stop the practice of animal testing on cosmetic products. Check out our timeline on the history of animal testing for cosmetics, its alternatives, and the countries that have made progress towards banning it.
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United Nations Protest
The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International joined together to create the Forever Against Animal Testing campaign and protest outside the UN.
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