To say The Body Shop loves animals is an understatement. For almost 30 years, the brand has been working to ban animal testing, alongside Cruelty Free International (formerly known as BUAV). A commitment that is paying off since in 1998 the United Kingdom banned animal testing of finished beauty products and ingredients, and in 2004, after bringing a petition with 4 million signatures, these same tests were prohibited on finished products throughout the European Union. In 2009, this ban was extended to cosmetic ingredients. And in 2013, it was downright the sale and import of products or ingredients tested on animals that were banned, following a petition collecting one million signatures. The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International now want to go further and see this ban come into force in the 80% of countries in the world that use animals for testing. The idea? Reach 8 million signatures and present the petition to the United Nations General Assembly in 2018.
We don't necessarily know, but cosmetic testing involves 500,000 animals each year, which are used in often cruel trials. Thus, a single ingredient in a formula can cause the death of 1,400 animals. Essential animal testing? Well, no! Studies have shown that they only prevent reactions in humans in 40 to 60% of cases, when their substitutes offer 80% reliability. Thus, at The Body Shop, the products are tested by 3 methods:by computer (verification of the conformity of the materials used), on human skin cells cultured in vitro and finally, during epicutaneous tests, on humans. So serious, and without any animal suffering.
We therefore invite you to sign the petition and share it around you. If we all put our minds to it, 8 million is not huge. And that could change things for good. In any case, we believe in it!
