Comments on: Avon and Animal Testing

By: Eddie

Eddie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:09:51 +0000

Hi, I have been following this with with some considerable interest having been until recently an AVON rep and selling what I believed were their sound principles of non animal tested products to a network of customers.

After the debacle in the eighties, when AVON were outed in the popular press as one of the biggest exponents of animal testing, very many, including myself, steered well clear of the brand for a good many years until they finally announced themselves to be the ‘first cosmetics company to BAN ALL animal testing’. This statement had remained on their website until very recently and until the ASA made them remove it. They failed to mention the 0.3% that were animal tested as though the 27 products it amounted to didn’t matter. It does matter though. It matters to the many thousands of people who bought their products, delighted by the quality to price ratio with the added bonus of being kind to bunnies.

They lied. and many reps here feel duped, angered and astonished that only the Daily Mail have covered the story in their ‘Femail’ supplement. It beggars belief that AVON have gone back on their principles and worse, used those principles disingenuously and for commercial gain.

As for Liz Earle, I did ponder whether the buy out was a strategic move by AVON to reinforce the animal testing untruths, but the cynic in me says the LE don’t really care either..

Eddie.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:44:04 +0000

I chatted to BUAV and they confirmed there is an exemption for Hong Kong.

Also, that Liz Earle is still registered as they are not selling in China.

The founders have done extremely well out of Avon (£100 million?) and Liz is still a director, so there really is no need to compromise principles for a Chinese entry while the animal testing issue is live.

If anything, I would hope Liz is using her influence with Avon to correct any of their ethical missteps!

Perhaps Liz Earle would have to be careful about introducing products, such as makeup, that are based on Avon formulations or are repackaged products?

By: Colin

Colin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:59:09 +0000

I don’t know what the rules in Hong Kong are I’m afraid. I think you would know if your products had been tested because they’d have sent you the bill. I don’t know when and why Liz Earle stopped their BUAV accreditation (or even if they ever signed up in the first place). There are plenty of reasons other than being bought by Avon why they might have pulled out. It is a serious standard that takes some trouble to comply with that costs money and ties up key staff. I don’t think that many consumers care that much, and with recent EU legislation forbidding animal testing you could argue that the battle is won and the humane cosmetic standard is no longer needed. But I am just speculating.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:43:05 +0000

Interesting – what are the rules (if different) for Hong Kong?

We have sold to shops there for some years now and haven’t ever been required to do animal testing.

It should go without saying – but I will say it – as a company we wouldn’t sell to any market that required animal testing on our products as a condition of entry.

Some principles are inviolate.

We noticed that the BUAV Leaping Bunny is conspicuous in its absence on the Liz Earle website. Is this because of the parent company’s actions?

I find it very hard to believe that Liz Earle would have sanctioned a move into China if it involves animal testing of her products. A confirmation from Liz Earle or BUAV would be helpful.