Defend your right to cruelty-free cosmetics: Uphold the Ban!
11th March 2022 marked the 9-year anniversary of the EU becoming the world’s largest cruelty-free beauty market. But instead of a celebration, activists, citizens and cruelty-free businesses are having to counter systematic efforts by the European Chemicals Agency and European Commission to turn back the clock and undo years of hard-won progress for animals, consumers, and activists.
From 28th March, Lush stores across Europe will be supporting Humane Society International (HSI) by encouraging EU citizens to sign a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to save cruelty-free cosmetics. The campaign will feature a shop window or cut-out of HSI’s ‘spokesbunny’ Ralph, bringing attention to the cruelty animals are made to endure in unnecessary cosmetic chemical testing. The displays across Europe provide customers with a QR code enabling them to sign the ECI and have their voice heard.
As well as the ECI, and for non-EU citizens, customers can show their support to keep Europe a cruelty-free beauty market by taking part in a Twitter storm calling on European Commissioners to uphold the promise of a cruelty-free Europe by halting demands for new animal testing of cosmetic chemicals.
Created last August, The European Citizens Initiative ‘Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing’ was launched by a coalition of animal protection groups, including HSI. This campaign aims to collect at least 1 million validated signatures from EU citizens by 31 August 2022 in order to compel a meaningful response from the European Commission.
Background on the EU’s cosmetic animal testing ban
- The European Union fully banned animal testing for cosmetics in 2013
- This was historic and game-changing, inspiring a dozen other countries to also ban these cruel and unnecessary tests
- The ban is now under threat because the European Chemicals Agency is demanding new animal tests for cosmetic ingredients
- These tests are being called chemical tests, but they are chemicals used only in cosmetics
- If European bureaucrats continue to disregard the EU’s cosmetic animal testing ban, it will mean suffering and death for many thousands of animals
Europe’s love affair with REACH has eroded its position as the world leader in non-animal tested cosmetics, increasingly requiring tests on chemicals used in cosmetics. We may be seeing a bit by bit creep towards a situation where some European cosmetics companies will no longer be able to sell into countries like India and Mexico (and the USA as their proposed legislation is passed) because those countries have now introduced strong non-animal testing legislation and maintain it to a higher standard than Europe has. Lush will always Fight Animal Testing and will continue to present the facts to our customers worldwide in as wide a variety of ways as we can.
Fast Facts
- From March 28th Lush will be running an in-store campaign across Europe to raise awareness of the need to strengthen the EU’s cosmetic animal testing ban, as cruelty-free cosmetics is at risk.
- The promise of a cruelty-free Europe has been broken. EU authorities are now demanding new animal tests on ingredients used in cosmetics.
- Shop visitors will be asked to sign the European Citizens’ Initiative petition, which aims to raise more than 1,000,000 signatures across EU countries and join a ‘Twitter Storm’ to the bureaucrats of the European Commission.
About HSI
With a presence in more than 50 countries, Humane Society International works around the globe to promote the human-animal bond, rescue and protect dogs and cats, improve farm animal welfare, protect wildlife, promote animal-free testing and research, respond to natural disasters and confront cruelty to animals in all of its forms. Learn more about our work at hsi.org. Follow HSI on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram .
About Lush
Lush invent, manufacture and retails fresh handmade cosmetics. A beauty company with a campaigning heart, Lush is passionate about direct action and uses its stores around the world as a platform to shed light on little known social and environmental issues.
The Lush Prize resumed during the financial year and the Lush Group donated £250,000 to groups that focus on research, campaigning or training to end animal testing. In 2022 this Prize will have been running for 10 years – awarding over £3m to those actively removing animals from cosmetic safety testing and bringing forward advancements in human biology specific science. Nominations for this year’s Lush Prize open on Monday 18th April, please find more information here.
For more information please contact [email protected] or call 020 7434 9348
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