The Body Shop joins Cruelty Free International to "reignite fight against animal testing"

The Body Shop has partnered with Cruelty Free International to once again call for an outright ban on animal testing for cosmetics.

It comes as new research reveals that the British public is not aware of the Government’s silent reintroduction of animal testing.

Animal testing for cosmetics products had been banned in the UK since 1998. However, it was revealed that the UK Government "secretly" abandoned this ban in 2019.

Following a court case brought by Cruelty Free International earlier this year, the Government reintroduced the ban – but only for ingredients exclusively used in cosmetics (about 20% of the total).

Founder Anita Roddick OBE campaigns for a Europe-wide ban on cosmetic testing on animals in 1996

New research from The Body Shop shows that the majority of British adults aren’t aware of current animal testing laws and practices.

It found that a quarter of Brits still believe that all animal testing on cosmetics is banned, with only one in ten people aware of the 2019 change to the UK government’s policy.

To address this, The Body Shop and long-term campaign partner Cruelty Free International are once again joining forces to advocate for an outright ban on animal testing for cosmetics.

The campaign will be supported by TV personality Lucy Watson, Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Divina de Campo and influencer Demi Colleen to drive awareness of the legal loophole through a range of content, including by going ‘bare faced for cruelty free beauty’.

From December, the campaign will be visible in selected The Body Shop stores around the UK, where in-store displays will urge customers to join the fight against animal testing.

The brand is also reviving the vintage 'Against Animal Testing' t-shirts from 1998, which can be purchased online and in selected stores.

Chris Davis, International Sustainability, Activism and Communications Director at The Body Shop, said: "Beauty does not need to come at the cost of animal rights - and our cruelty free products have been proving that since the 1980s.

"It’s an outrage that the Home Office has silently been issuing permits for animal testing, despite its clear public commitment over 25 years ago to a full ban. We and our partners started this fight against animal testing a long time ago, and our resolve is stronger than ever to see it through today."