The Body Shop Urges Canadian Animal Testing Ban

The Body Shop has set its sights on 2018 being the end of animal testing in Canadian cosmetics. The brand, along with Cruelty Free International, is now lobbying the Canadian government to pass cruelty-free legislation.

Canada currently has a bill before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology that would ban cosmetic animal testing. The Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (Bill S-214) was first introduced in 2015, and includes the following:

• No cosmetic animal testing in Canada;
• No evidence derived from animal testing conducted before the bill’s passing may be used to establish safety of a product or ingredient;
• The Minister retaining discretion to authorize animal testing where no other alternative method is available; and
• Certain drugs such as sunscreen and oral care ingredients may be treated as cosmetics.

According to The Body Shop, 80% of Canadians would support a ban on animal testing. Additionally, more than 375,000 of the brand’s Canadian customers have signed a petition that supports a ban in Canada and worldwide.

“Canada lags [behind] many countries in the world on this issue…and risks falling behind many of its international peers if it does not act immediately. Furthermore, in countries where the ban has been enacted, the cosmetic industry has continued to thrive. The need for animal testing is over,” said Toby Milton, general manager, The Body Shop Canada, in a press release.