LONDON, October 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop have today announced the success of their global pledge with the support of one million people calling for a worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics. The pledges will now be delivered to governments and regulatory bodies throughout the world.  

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131025/648040-a )

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131025/648040-b )

The Body Shop supported Cruelty Free International, the first global organisation solely dedicated to ending the use of animals to test cosmetics products throughout the world, by asking customers in stores across 65 countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Korea, Japan and Russia to sign a pledge calling for an end to these tests on animals. It has been the largest and most ambitious campaign ever to seek a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetics.

The European Union ban on animal tested cosmetics was widely celebrated in March 2013, however, Cruelty Free International is continuing to campaign for a global ban as over 80% of the world still allows animals to be used in cruel experiments for cosmetics products.

Cruelty Free International's Chief Executive Michelle Thew, said: "With the fantastic support of The Body Shop we have been able to carry out the largest global campaign to call for a ban on animal testing for cosmetic purposes.  A million voices have spoken and we are more determined than ever."

Jessie Macneil-Brown, Global Campaigns Manager for The Body Shop International said: "For over 20 years The Body Shop has proved that beauty can be cruelty free.  One million signatures demonstrate the unwavering passion from our customers as we keep fighting for this cause."

Notes to Editor

There is no worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics. Despite progress with some countries and companies, over 80% of the world still allows animals, including rabbits and guinea pigs, to be used in experiments. In a global market it is important that all countries ban the practice to avoid testing simply moving around the world to those countries with no effective laws.

Cruelty Free International works with governments, regulators, companies and partner organisations worldwide. It has placed the issue of animal testing on the agenda of many governments for the very first time as part of a global strategy to tackle product testing. wwwcrueltyfreeinternational.org

The Body Shop was the first and most long-standing cosmetics company to take action on the issue of animal testing in cosmetics. In 1996 founder Dame Anita Roddick joined Cruelty Free International's founding organisation the BUAV and European partners in presenting a petition containing 4 million signatures to the European Commission.  The Body Shop was the first international cosmetics company to gain BUAV certification under the Humane Cosmetics Standard, launched in 1997, and proudly displays the Leaping Bunny logo in their stores worldwide. http://www.thebodyshop.com

Contact: [email protected]

or +44(0)-7850-510-955 or +44(0)-207-619-6978.

SOURCE Cruelty Free International