LUSH Cosmetics, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International Launch Global Campaign To End Cosmetics Testing on Animals

NEW YORK, April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society International (HSI) and LUSH Cosmetics have launched the largest-ever global campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics. The campaign is rolling out simultaneously in 48 countries and more than 700 LUSH stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia.

"The beauty industry continues needless animal testing and it's time for it to stop," said Kate Willett, director of regulatory toxicology, risk assessment and alternatives for The HSUS. "Consumers are largely unaware that some shampoos and lipsticks still involve chemical poisoning of animals such as rabbits and mice. Science has moved us beyond this and there is no place for cosmetic testing on animals in modern society."

The HSUS and HSI offices in Canada, Australia, Europe and India are joining with LUSH to end animal testing for cosmetics with nationwide consumer campaigns in each region. The HSUS and HSI will also work with legislators, regulators and scientists to press for change. Consumers are being urged to sign national petitions in LUSH stores beginning April 17, and online at humanesociety.org/becrueltyfree, or www.fightinganimaltesting.com/na to send a strong message to the U.S. government that animal testing for cosmetics needs to be banned.

Such testing is already banned in Europe and a further ban on the sale of cosmetics that have been newly tested on animals in other parts of the world is expected to come into effect in March 2013.

U.S. law requires companies to assure that their products are safe, but does not require animal testing, since safety can be assured by using established, safe ingredients and available non-animal test methods. However, some companies continue to produce new cosmetic ingredients and test them on animals.

"Animals should not have to rely on voluntary codes of conduct but should be protected by robust laws that force all companies to adopt humane methods to bring their products to market," said Brandi Halls, North American campaign manager for LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

LUSH, The HSUS and HSI believe that testing on animals to produce new cosmetic products or ingredients is unjustified. Animals are subjected to considerable pain and distress during toxicity tests. A large proportion of the animals used in cosmetic testing are laboratory-bred rodents, who receive no protection under the Animal Welfare Act.  

Animal toxicity tests are also scientifically unreliable for assuring human safety because animals and humans can respond very differently to the same chemicals.

LUSH does not conduct or commission tests on animals and operates a fixed cut-off date for individual ingredients, requiring that they have not been animal tested by or on behalf of a manufacturer since June 1, 2007, at the latest.

Media Contacts:

HSUS: Anna West, 240-751-2669, [email protected]
LUSH North America: Brandi Halls, 917.324.8570, [email protected]

SOURCE LUSH Cosmetics