Cosmetics Case Studies
The RSPCA has prepared these summaries from information supplied in spring 2007 by RSPCA Good Business Awards entrants.
Lush
Lush is a manufacturer and retailer of fresh handmade cosmetics, including bath, skincare and haircare products. Founded in 1995, Lush has more than 400 stores in 39 countries. It is committed to a strict animal welfare policy that includes not testing products and ingredients on animals and refusing to engage with third-party suppliers to do so on its behalf. Lush does not buy any ingredient from any supplier that tests any of its materials on any animals for any purpose.
Lush commissions independent expert reviews and assessments of its finished products to establish their safety and provides results for their inclusion in the Product Information Portfolios required under the Cosmetic Safety Regulations.
Rather than implementing a fixed cut-off date, Lush runs its own strict Supplier Specific Boycott Policy. This policy encourages suppliers to switch from animal to non-animal testing methodologies by enabling them to immediately become eligible to supply Lush when they stop testing on animals (therefore providing an incentive for the ingredient supplier to stop animal testing).
Lush encourages and supports the development and validation of non-animal testing methodologies and actively campaigns for their use. Lush is also engaged in trying to stop the use of animals in REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) and to ensure that the European Union Cosmetics Directive, which calls for a ban on all animal testing for finished cosmetic products and ingredients by 2009, is fully realised and implemented.
Lush staff are educated about the company's animal testing policy and are encouraged to relay this important message to customers. Lush promotes its against animal testing policy online and through advertising in stores and in the company's Lush Times publication.
Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has more than 500 stores in the UK and over 200 franchise operations in 34 countries around the world, all of which sell M&S beauty products.
M&S has a long-standing commitment to animal welfare. It does not conduct or fund animal tests for cosmetic purposes on cosmetic products and its new animal testing code of practice for M&S beauty products goes even further to ensure this policy is implemented all the way down the company's supply chain for ingredients within its products.
This commitment not to conduct or fund animal testing for cosmetic purposes on any cosmetic product or the ingredients supplied to M&S is in line with its fixed cut-off date of 1 January 2006 and extends to the company's direct and indirect suppliers.
M&S has supported FRAME, an organisation campaigning for the replacement of animals in medical experiments, for a number of years in its work to implement the three Rs, replacement, refinement and reduction of animal testing. This year M&S assisted FRAME by funding its reception, which provided an overview of industry developments and the key areas of focus for the organisation in the future.
Urban Decay
Urban Decay is a make-up and fragrance manufacturer. Its products are made in the US but distributed and sold online and throughout shops in the UK.
The company has a policy of not testing products or ingredients on animals and has a fixed cut-off date of 9 September 2004. Urban Decay's policies on animal welfare attempt to keep up to date with current practices for the ingredients used in all industries.
The company tests its products through in vitro testing (experiments performed in a controlled environment using cells or tissues maintained outside a living body) and human clinical trial studies. To ensure products are safe for human use, Urban Decay carries out in vitro testing, skin patch testing and practical application.
Urban Decay's animal testing policy is included in its employee handbook and online. The company also promotes its animal welfare stance on packaging through the message: "We don't test on animals, how could anyone?"
Urban Decay is currently working with the CCIC (Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics) on creating a national campaign in the US to promote awareness of the fact that animal testing is still taking place.
Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare
Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, manufactures and retails a range of botanical skincare products. Founded in 1995 the company employs more than 200 people and is based on the Isle of Wight. Liz Earle skincare products are sold from its island store, Union, as well as by mail order, online and through QVC. The company's flagship store is off the Kings Road near Sloane Square in London: 53 Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY
Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare has a strict no animal testing policy; products and ingredients are tested on human volunteers. Its formulations are safety assessed by a chartered chemist following input from a consultant dermatologist, and primary irritation tests are carried out on human volunteers supervised by the company's consultant dermatologists. Liz Earle does not conduct or commission animal tests and since 1 January 1998 none of its ingredients have been animal tested by any of its suppliers. Prior to this fixed cut-off date the company never tested on animals or knowingly bought ingredients that had been tested on animals. Their suppliers are monitored on an annual basis and the monitoring system is open to independent assessment.
Liz Earle Cosmetics regularly donates to FRAME, an organisation campaigning for the replacement of animals in medical experiments.
Ingredient information can be found on the Liz Earle website and the company endeavours to give consumers as much information as possible that exceeds the EC directive.
