TALKING CRUELTY-FREE AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Last month, we were invited to the House of Commons by Cruelty Free International (CFI). We joined MPs, Parliamentary Assistants and representatives from fellow Leaping Bunny-approved brands to celebrate CFI’s achievements in 2024 – and discuss what’s next for the cruelty-free movement.

 

WHAT IS THE LEAPING BUNNY?

 

You might have noticed the Leaping Bunny logo on our packaging. This little icon is proof that we’re Leaping Bunny approved.

 

The Leaping Bunny programme is a global ‘gold standard’ for cruelty-free cosmetics, personal care and household products – and over 1000 brands are certified. Launched in the 90s by an international coalition of animal protection organisations, it’s now managed by CFI and their global partners. CFI say the programme is ‘the best assurance that a company has made a genuine commitment to help end animal testing.’

 

To be approved, companies must meet strict criteria to demonstrate that their products and ingredients are not tested on animals. We’ve been Leaping Bunny approved since 2003, putting us among the first brands to obtain approval.

 

WHO ARE CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL?

 

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, giving her speech at the House of Commons

 

Established in 1898, CFI is “the leading organisation working to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals”. As well as managing the Leaping Bunny programme, their experts are involved in award-winning campaigning, pioneering investigations, political lobbying and scientific, legal and corporate responsibility work.

 

At the House of Commons event, CFI were represented by CEO Michelle Thew. Her speech celebrated a “really positive year” that included the setting out of CFI’s cruelty-free manifesto, tens of thousands of supporters contacting their MPs and a new government that’s committed to ending animal testing.

 

“We are standing on the shoulders of our founders, from 1898,” said Thew, “but this is our moment now to write our own chapter in history. It’s a moment that we can see together, if we are bold and ambitious.”

 

ISN’T ANIMAL TESTING BANNED IN THE UK? 

 

The UK was the first country in the world to put a stop to animal testing of cosmetics products in 1998. But in some cases since, cosmetics ingredients have been tested on animals to check safety for manufacturing workers. The only way to guarantee that a product or its ingredients have not been tested on animals is to buy Leaping Bunny approved.

 

Animal testing is still widespread in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, even where non-animal alternative methods of testing are available. According to government data, there were 2.68 million uses of living animals for specific scientific purposes in Great Britain in 2023. Although this is a decrease of 3% on the year before, clearly there’s still work to be done.

 

HELP THE CAMPAIGN: WRITE TO YOUR MP

 

The event was hosted by Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham 

 

If you’d like to add your voice to the campaign to end animal testing, you could write to your MP to demand change. 

 

In their pre-election manifesto, the current UK Government pledged to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”.

 

Good news, but the manifesto didn’t specify when the phasing out is expected to happen. Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, who hosted the House of Commons event, urged everyone to stand up and demand a timeframe for the changes by contacting their MP.

 

“The Government needs to present to us an ambitious timetable for phasing this out for good,” Champion said. “Whilst it’s more my responsibility to make that happen, it’s up to all of us to lobby and encourage MPs to do the same. Let us demand that it happens right now.”

 

SHOP CRUELTY-FREE

 

Another way to help is, of course, to keep shopping cruelty-free. 

 

“I urge all of you to intentionally shop for Leaping Bunny products and encourage others to do so,” said Champion.

 

Tew explained that cruelty-free products have never been more accessible. 20 years ago, they were only stocked in small, specialist shops in cities and large towns. Today, cruelty-free goods can be found on high streets and in shopping centres and supermarkets across the UK. This is certainly true of our brand, which used to be exclusively available in independent health food and refill stores. We love these indies, and many people still buy (and even better: refill!) their Faith In Nature favourites in them. But you can now also find us in shops like Boots, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, as well as online, meaning more people have access to our cruelty-free (and vegan!) products. Wherever you shop, remember to look for the Leaping Bunny.