Marks & Spencer has announced it is the first high street retailer to exclusively offer BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of
Vivisection) “Cruelty Free†approved household cleaning products and beauty collections. M&S customers can shop with a clean conscience from the largest range of “cruelty free†household and beauty products available on the high street which covers over 1,200 products and their individual ingredients – from lavender laundry liquid through to tea tree face wipes.
BUAV chief executive Michelle Thew says, “We applaud Marks & Spencer for taking this step to prove its cruelty-free retailestatus. The BUAV’s Bunny Logo approval is the global gold standard in cruelty-free cosmetics and household products, so I’m delighted M&S has taken this step to reassure its customers. It sends out a clear message that today’s ethically aware consumers will only trust official approval, and that it is possible to respond to that demand on a national scale. I’m now calling on other unapproved high street retailers and supermarkets to follow suit and clear all animal tested products from the shelves once and for all.â€
Marks & Spencer found from consumer research that over 80% of consumers are concerned about animal testing and almost 30% of consumers are unaware that household products are tested on animals. The certification demonstrates M&S’s commitment to its ‘Plan A’ eco initiative to tackle consumer issues like animal welfare and the use of raw materials.
Mike Barry, M&S Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, “We care about animal welfare as passionately as our customers do. With over 80% of consumers concerned about animal testing and specifically household products, being able to clearly label all our beauty and household ranges with the BUAV’s Leaping Bunny logo will give our customers added peace of mind and be their guide to ‘Cruelty Free Shopping’. â€
The BUAV’s Leaping Bunny logo will now appear on all M&S household products and has been phased in on beauty products since April 2007. The logo signifies that each of the 1,200 products have not been tested on animals and that none of the individual ingredients within each product have been tested on animals, either by M&S or its suppliers. This is in line with the BUAV Humane Household Products Standard and the BUAV Humane Cosmetics Standard.