Body Shop International and Dove join forces in fight against animal testing

The Body Shop International and Unilever’s Dove brand have joined forces in a new campaign to urge the UK and EU governments to protect the ban on animal testing in cosmetics.

The brands have partnered with a number of the world’s leading animal protection groups in a bid to rally one million European citizens and 100,000 UK nationals, to sign petitions calling for the current ban on animal testing in cosmetics to be upheld.

A series of dynamic murals designed to highlight the issue to consumers are currently being displayed in key European cities, including Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Milan.

The testing of cosmetics products on animals was banned by the European Union in 2004, with tests on cosmetic ingredients prohibited in 2009.

In 2013 it prohibited the sale of cosmetics that had been tested on animals as part of a move which became a blueprint for regulatory change in countries around the world.

However, recent test requirements from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) “effectively destroyed” the bans, The Body Shop International and Dove said.

Earlier this month Cruelty Free International warned that animal testing on ingredients used solely in cosmetics could become widespread in the UK after the government decided to adopt two decisions made by the ECHA's Board of Appeal on cosmetics testing.

Body Shop International Global CSR and Activism Director Christopher Davis said: “The Body Shop was the first global beauty brand to fight against animal testing in cosmetics and this commitment has been at the forefront of our activist campaigns for over three decades.

“Our work with our campaign partners Cruelty Free International led to the original European Union ban in 2013.

Today, we are calling the EU – home to the world’s largest cosmetics market – to stick to the trailblazing promise they made.

“We are proud to collaborate with Dove and speak as one voice, along with all those working towards a global end to animal testing for cosmetics, in support of this European Citizen’s Initiative”.

Dove Senior Director of Global Communications and Sustainability Firdaous El Honsali added: “At Dove we strongly believe that there is no role for animal testing for beauty products or their ingredients and have pioneered safe and humane alternatives to assess the safety of products and ingredients for many years.

“This commitment drives us to take urgent action to protect the ban against animal testing in the EU.”

EU consumers are being urged to sign a European Citizens Initiative while UK citizens can sign Cruelty Free International’s  Plan to phase out animal experiments petition.