Unilever and animal testing - a positive step towards a global ban

Testing on animals is, quite deservedly, a subject that is divisive and emotional. Heart-rending images have appeared in the media over the years, for example of rabbits having chemicals dropped in their eyes, that are hard to forget once seen.

You may have read recently about Unilever’s stance on animal testing for cosmetics. Unilever is one of the world’s biggest consumer goods companies, the home of major household brand names such as Dove, Radox, Tresemme and Simple.

Unilever has called for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics. Being the company behind so many familiar products, throwing their weight behind a global campaign that’s pushing for legislative reform to prohibit animal testing in the beauty industry has received significant news coverage.

                                         Just some of Unilever's familiar brands (©Unilever)

Testing cosmetics or their ingredients on animals has been banned across the EU, including the UK, since 2013. However, many other countries still do test on animals. This includes China, poised to become the world’s largest cosmetic market, which does require animal testing on many beauty goods. So the worldwide picture is not quite so clear as it would seem, although positive steps are being made.

A useful website that’s worth checking out for those who want to find out more about exactly which cosmetic products Unilever owns, and which have ingredients that are tested on animals is ethicalelephant.com. It has a comprehensive (but not exhaustive) list of brands, showing whether they are vegan, cruelty-free, owned by a parent company that tests on animals, or are not cruelty-free.

As part of its recent announcement, Unilever revealed a new partnership with HIS (Humane Society International) to try to accelerate the process. It is to be commended for this positive step forward, and as Troy Seidle, HIS’s vice president for research and toxicology says, they “…urge other large beauty brands to follow this example and join us on the right side of history”.* 

This announcement is no doubt part of a bigger story that will develop over the coming months and years. We’ll watch with interest and hope that, ultimately, it continues to move towards a greater understanding and compassion for all animals, (even us humans!) on a global scale.

*© Source the i newspaper 10 October 2018.