Unilever: Committed to Non-Animal Tested Manufacturing

Believing in science, not animals to assess the safety of their products and ingredients, Unilever is committed to working with its partners worldwide to end animal testing for cosmetics. 

With Europe’s ban on animal testing under threat - a result of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) request for animal tests on ingredients used in a range of consumer products - Many brands under the Unilever umbrella (27) including The Body Shop, Dove, TRESemmé, and Simple, alongside over 100 animal protection organisations, are urging EU citizens to call on the European Commission to uphold its longstanding ban on animal testing for cosmetics. 

Supporting the animal protection groups, Unilever’s brands have launched a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI); a mechanism for EU citizens to shape policies and propose new laws. 

In order to get the European Commission to take action on safeguarding the ban, protecting cruelty-free cosmetics, one million signatures are needed from EU citizens (UK citizens can also help). In the last week, the ECI has received 83,000 signatures which continues to grow. 

Science, Not Animals

Pioneering non-animal approaches to assess product safety for over 40 years Unilever has worked with over 70 leading science teams around the world to accelerate the development, use, and regulatory acceptance of alternatives to animal testing. 

Collaborating with peers, NGOs, and governments, Unilever shares its safety science and how it applies these solutions to ensure that its products are safe. The PETA lists Unilever as one of just five companies that is “working for regulatory change.”

“There is no reason to test cosmetic products, or the ingredients used in them, on animals. ECHA’s proposals pose a significant threat to the progress our industry has made towards ending animal testing for assuring the safety of cosmetics and other consumer products,” says Julia Fentem, Head of Unilever’s Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre.

“If these proposals go ahead, hundreds of thousands of animals could be subjected to unnecessary tests, when innovative non-animal approaches based on leading-edge science and technology offer reliable alternatives to animal testing. We say use science, not animals.”

Acting on Positive Beauty 

Earlier in the year, Unilever launched its Positive Beauty Vision. As part of the vision, the company has pledged to do more good, not just less harm, for people and the planet. 

To achieve this Unilever is stepping up its work and partnerships to support the call for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics by 2023. 

“Unilever’s pioneering work on non-animal approaches has been critical to the progress the world has been making towards a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics,” says Mimi Bekhechi, Vice President International Programmes, PETA UK.

“It’s only with collective action from companies, consumers, NGOs and governments that we can drive the changes citizens so want to see. It’s sad that once again we have to fight a battle that Europe’s citizens thought they had already won, but with a successful European Citizens’ Initiative, we can make decision-makers listen, protect the groundbreaking bans and secure concerted action to end the suffering of animals in EU laboratories for good,” concluded Bekhechi.