HSUS calls on L’Oréal to embrace a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics

By on September 19, 2017 with 11 Comments By Wayne Pacelle

Some years ago, a handful of companies rejected animal testing as a research and development practice and chose to only market products known to be safe to consumers. As a nod to the growing ranks of consumers concerned about animal cruelty, they affixed a symbol on their packaging to signal “No Animal Testing.” Over time, their market share grew, and customers associated them with the idea of doing the right thing.

Today, hundreds of companies – including leading brands such as LUSH, H&M and Paul Mitchell – are in the forefront of the movement against animal testing for cosmetics. It’s no longer mainstream to apply or drop chemical substances onto the skin or into the eyes of rabbits or other animals. The companies still involved in some way with new animal testing are sheepish about it, hoping that customers won’t notice. Any company with a backstory of animal testing and poisoning faces serious brand risk.

The days of hiding and obfuscating must end, and it is now time for all companies in the sector to stand and be counted, because key lawmakers have introduced the Humane Cosmetics Act in Congress and called for a national policy to prohibit the production and sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the United States.

It’s hardly a profile in courage for them to do so. Already, global cosmetic brands operate in a regulatory environment where animal testing is forbidden. At this time, 37 countries or political regions, including the European Union, Guatemala, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Turkey, have banned or limited the use of animals for cosmetics testing. More than 1.8 billion people reside in countries where all cosmetic products on their store shelves were created without any new animal testing. The #BeCrueltyFree campaign is on the front lines in efforts to pass strict legislation to end cosmetic animal testing in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and the United States.

There are some companies holding up global progress, and supporting a legal patchwork that allows them to still conduct animal tests. That’s why The HSUS, Humane Society International, and the Humane Society Legislative Fund are calling on L’Oréal, as the largest cosmetics manufacturer in the world, to support strict legislation that will prohibit the use of animals for cosmetics testing and the sale of cosmetics that were newly tested on animals.

While L’Oréal claims that it “no longer tests any of its ingredients on animals and no longer tolerates any exception to this rule,” it continues to sell its products in China, where animal testing is required for most cosmetics. Cosmetics testing in China is estimated to inflict suffering and death on as many as 375,000 rabbits and other animals each year.

L’Oréal made the business decision to sell its products in China despite this fact. Even if L’Oréal is not doing the testing itself, it is still giving its consent to this practice.

Non-animal testing strategies use human-cell-based tests and sophisticated computer programs to provide human-relevant results. These methods often provide a savings in time and money for the industry. The HSUS family of organizations recognizes and appreciates L’Oréal’s leadership on non-animal alternative test development and is very pleased to be partnering with the company in the Human Toxicology Project Consortium. However, the time has come for this multinational cosmetics company to join our global #BeCrueltyFree campaign and forswear, as a matter of global policy, the practice of cosmetic animal testing once and for all.

L’Oréal must already comply with animal testing and trade bans in more than 30 countries and would only benefit from further harmonization of international cosmetics laws. The company should make the ethical decision to publicly support watertight legislation and show that it truly cares about animals, and is working to end cosmetic animal testing. A Care2 petition launched earlier this month has already garnered support from more than 77,000 signers.

Half measures and expressions of preferences sound hollow. What we need – what animals need – is emphatic support for government policies that forbid animal testing. Anything short of that is just superficial, and it’s enabling ugly practices to continue. Join us, L’Oréal. To paraphrase the slogan of the company, it’s time to ban animal testing, because they’re worth it.

Tell L’Oréal it’s time to #becrueltyfree »

Categories
Animal Research and Testing, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative)

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11 Comments

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  1. Lisa Salmon says:

    Please stop the unnecessary cruelty.

  2. Kellie Mullen says:

    I have discontinued the use of cosmetics on my face because of the fact that, I am not GUARANTEED the policies of all the cosmetic companies and animal testing. One thing I have not taken into consideration is hair color. I am 51 and have been coloring “my gray hair” since I was 20. Since then I have never had a problem, and never second guessed the process of how I get a SAFE product. I colored my gray this week with my normal Clairol Nice and Easy, and accidently, for the first time got some solution in one eye. Beyond having to go to the eye doctor, the next day (didn’t want to pay ER visit) I was told I had burned the white below my pupil and it would heal up from one to three weeks. All I could think of is all the work I have ever done, (being an animal person) banning animal testing in the past, and the BURNING SENSATION I was now suffering from which ultimately animals went/ are going through. Brought me to tears, picturing rabbits with bloodshot eyes. If there is anything more I can do, besides never buying ANY COSMETICS.please let me know. I will be on the “front line”. Thanks in advance.

  3. Maury Mulligan says:

    Thank you for this work.

  4. shirley morse says:

    Until I am certain loreal, does not testing animals, I will not purchase their product.
    Or any other company who does.

  5. G. Moore says:

    Please go Cruelty Free

  6. Heather Maciejeski says:

    Seriously, L’Oreal, you still think that in this day and age that it is still necessary to test on living thing such as animals when there is a whole aray of technology out there that DOES NOT TEST on either animals or humans? It is time you, L’Oreal, got with the times and STOPPED testing on living things and used the technology that IS out there that requires NO TESTING OF LIVING THINGS.

  7. Barbara Gurtov says:

    This cruelty must be be stopped. In this day and age there is no reason to do this type of testing anymore. Enough is enough!

  8. Penelope Raco says:

    I will no longer buy products that test on animals!! The US should not be selling products in countries that test on animals!! These poor animals are tortured everyday, 24/7 and it is wrong, inhumane, senseless, heartless and totally unacceptable and inexcusable!!

  9. Catherine Rogan says:

    Thank you for getting this information out. I will NOT be buying L’Oreal products any longer and I am going to tell all of my friends how L’Oreal doesn’t care about gentle, innocent animals being tortured so that they can have a larger “bottom line”.

  10. Debra Goldstein Lustig says:

    Thank you HSUS for your input on telling L’Oréal to stop using horrific acts of animalcruelty on these beautiful innocent animals. I will never use L’Oréal products until I know for sure they are not hurting these beautiful animals.

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