The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International Campaign to end cosmetic product and ingredient animal

The Body Shop has launched a new campaign for a global ban on cosmetics animal testing on products and ingredients by 2020, revolutionising the beauty industry and protecting millions of animals around the world. 

Partnering with the leading nonprofitorganisation working to end animal testing, Cruelty Free International, The Body Shop will take the campaign to the highest authority, the United Nations, and request an international convention banning cosmetics testing on animals. 

The potential for animal testing is still a huge risk around the world, with over 80% of countries still having no laws against testing in cosmetics. Despite the fact that most countries do not require safety data based on animal tests and reliable alternatives are available and that beauty companies like The

Body Shop use innovative and effective cruelty-free ingredients in their products. Cruelty Free International estimates that approximately 500,000 animals are still used in some countries in cosmetics testing every year.

Speaking on the occasion, The Body Shop Sri Lanka Director Trevor Rajaratnam says: “We are proud to launch the Forever Against Animal Testing campaign here in Sri Lanka. Although there is no requirement in Sri Lankan law for cosmetics animal testing, there is also no legal ban to forbid the practices. We strongly urge our customers to pledge their support for this campaign and come to our store to sign the petition. With your help, a global ban on animal testing in cosmetics can be a reality.”

Rules on animal testing in cosmetics are currently patchwork, with legislation differing around the world leaving consumers ill informed. Traditional animal tests have never been validated for their use in reliably detecting the safety of cosmetic products and ingredients. There are now modern alternatives such as artificially grown human skin, that are, in the majority of cases, as effective as the animal test they replace and have been validated by authorities.

The Body Shop Senior Manager International Campaigns and Corporate Responsibility Jessie Macneil-Brown says: “The Body Shop passionately believes that no animal should be harmed in the name of cosmetics and that animal testing on products and ingredients is outdated, cruel and unnecessary. This is why The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International have partnered to deliver the largest and most ambitious campaign ever to seek a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetic products and ingredients.

“This campaign will finish what we both started back in the 1980s. We are calling on at least eight million people from every corner of the globe who care about animal welfare to join our cause and sign our petition. We will take this petition to the United Nations to compel them to create a global law a ban animal testing in cosmetic products and ingredients. With an international law enforced, consumers would finally be confident that any cosmetics they buy are cruelty free. It’s time to end animal testing for cosmetics purposes once and for all. Join us to make it happen.”

Cruelty Free International CEO Michelle Thew says: “People are confused about animal testing. The world over, people want this cruel practice to end, yet existing laws are a patchwork of different rules with some very big gaps. While more and more countries require non-animal safety tests and many have taken steps to prohibit cosmetics testing on animals, there is more work to be done. Where animal testing is allowed – on both products and ingredients - most countries do not require testing data to be made available to the public or even to regulators. This makes it extremely difficult to know how widespread animal testing is. What we know is that one single test may involve hundreds of animals. If just one company or one country relies on animal testing, the impact on animal lives could be huge. Because 80% of countries around the world still allow animal testing for cosmetics, a global ban is the only way to truly eliminate animal suffering. We are delighted Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop are together campaigning for a ban that would finally end animal testing forever.”

The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International’s new campaign is calling for an international ban on animal testing in cosmetics, on both products and ingredients, everywhere and forever. It is the most ambitious campaign ever against animal testing, and aims to engage eight million people to sign the petition calling on the United Nations to introduce an international convention to end the practice once and for all. The petition can be signed online or at any of The Body Shop’s 3,000 stores across the world. Consumers are being encouraged to use the campaign hashtag, #Forever AgainstAnimalTesting, on social media to raise awareness of the issue.