Without notifying their customers or PETA, Avon, Mary Kay, and Estée Lauder—which have been on PETA’s list of companies that don’t test cosmetics on animals for decades – have been quietly paying for poisoning tests on animals at the behest of the Chinese government in order to market their products in China. Because they no longer qualify as companies that don’t test, Avon, Mary Kay, and Estée Lauder have been downgraded to PETA’s “do test” list.
Avon banned tests on animals in 1989 following PETA’s very public “Avon Killing” campaign – a play on the company’s “Avon Calling” brand. Mary Kay eliminated animal tests the same year after the company was lampooned by cartoonist Berkeley Breathed in his Bloom County strip in a series called “Night of the Mary Kay Commandos.” Estée Lauder eliminated animal tests the following year. These companies’ bans on the use of animals for product testing began a new marketing era for consumer products, and dozens of other companies soon prohibited all tests on animals and began marketing their products as cruelty-free.
“Avon, Estée Lauder, and Mary Kay have regressed a generation: Their products are once again being dripped into rabbits’ eyes and smeared onto animals’ abraded skin,” says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. “Fortunately, consumers don’t have to backslide with them—we can still choose to purchase products from the more than 1,000 companies on PETA’s list of companies that do not test on animals.”
PETA is financially supporting the efforts of the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS.org) to promote the Chinese government’s acceptance of non-animal testing methods that are in wide use in the U.S. and the E.U. IIVS is spearheading an international consortium to represent companies that wish to market in countries where tests on animals are required.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
Thank you for keeping us updated! My job (or hobby, rather) wouldn't be as updated and successful, if it weren't for people like you. How awful that a company would trade ethics for money. And how ever more awful that they are STILL telling people inquiring about this subject that they ARE NOT tested on animals? How deceiving.
The sad thing is, there are probably other brands that we THINK are cruelty free who are deceiving us. By the time the information is filtered down to the employees, salespeople, distributors, PR execs, etc, it usually has a positive spin that is hard to decipher. 🙁
My recent post Avon, Mary Kay and Estee Lauder Secretly Paying for Tests on Animals in China
I knew it was too good to be true. These 3 are huge companies; those are the ones that lie and twist their ethical spin the most.
I often wonder about the individuals that are employed by these companies to administer such testing. What level of apathy is required to sleep soundly at night? 🙁
What you failed to mention in this article is that there are a FEW countries that by law require ALL cosmetics to be tested on animals. There isn't anything secret about it, Avon has informed us about this, it isn't their choice, they work with those governments to try to get around these laws wherever possible.
There is no deception going on, it is known information.
If you are going to tell a story, tell the entire story, not just your twist on it. Get your facts straight.
Here are the FACTS: http://avoncompany.com/corporatecitizenship/corpo…
I was going to suggest going to peta.org! I wrote them a letter or used peta's one, I can't remember and they sent me a generic letter back trying to explain away why they animal test! Just made me more angry! Done with buying their products–even Avon's other things they sell!!!
"Mary Kay does not support animal testing. Mary Kay is committed to the elimination of animal testing and is a strong advocate of utilizing alternative methods to substantiate the safety of our ingredients and products. We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients, nor do we ask others to do so on our behalf, except when absolutely required by law. For more than two decades, we have been a global leader in helping to develop alternative testing methods for product safety. This commitment continues today, in partnership with global regulatory agencies that manage cosmetic safety, with animal advocacy groups and with leading animal alternative researchers in an effort to gain global acceptance of these new approaches." —Directly from their website under "Company" and "Social Responsibility"
Exactly. It says “except when required by law” and it’s required by law in China. They didn’t test on animals until recently when they decided to sell to China.
Marti – the fact is that Avon was not testing on animals until they decided to do business in China. As someone who believes very strongly that animal testing for cosmetic purposes is unnecessary and wrong, I would have chosen not to do business with any country that requires such outdated testing. Unfortunately, greed won out on this one.
Please join me in boycotting Estée Lauder, Avon and Mary Kay and sign and share this petition. Every signature is important! http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-estee-lau…
My recent post Animal Testing Bombshell – Step Backwards for Cruelty-Free
OMG, so a company should avoid selling in a particular (very large) country because that countries law states that a percentage of that companies products must be tested on animals (in Avon's case 0.03%). All companies are about making money that's how they survive, of course they are not going to miss out because of a law set by that country. How many of you criticising these companies eat meat or wear leather?? Nothing worse then hypercritical protesters!!
I think if a company believes in being cruelty free – yes, they should absolutely avoid selling to China. I created this site to bring awareness to the cosmetic testing industry – not eating meat or wearing leather.
I am sure you use LUSH products but they are a company that would say no to selling in China if it meant they had to test on animals
China has by laws that certain cosmetic products are to be tested on animals before they can be sold to the public. Those certain products for Mary Kay are sold ONLY in China. None of those animal tested products are sold any where else. I'm not positive about the customer, but the consultants that sell the products have access on MaryKay.com to view the ingredients in every product sold in America, Canada, etc., except for those products sold in China because we have no access to them. Mary Kay is trying to get animal testing in China to be stopped. No one in America can even sell to China because Mary Kay consultants are not allows to sell their products over sea, let alone China itself. Mary Kay only JUST entered China in the last few years. They do as much as possible to get around animal testing and are trying to work with the government to get rid of animal testing in all. China is not going to get rid of the law for companies to sell there if they are not doing so? It takes time to change laws. Look at how long it takes to change things in America. China has a larger population and are set in their ways more than we are. Mary Kay is doing EVERYTHING to try to change this law. Once again, those animal tested products are sold no where else other than in China. Any Mary Kay customers that are concerned about this can ask their consultants and they will say the same thing…unless they are brand new, then they are still learning and may not know anything about it.
Hi Ariel – I appreciate your thoughts, but I can't endorse a company that is selling in China. If you support the American products, you're still supporting the animal testing – it's all the same company. There's no reason to sell in China other than greed. Boycotting sales in China would be more effective at changing their policies.
You could definitely see your skills within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. At all times go after your heart.
http://avoncompany.com/corporatecitizenship/corporateresponsibility/resourcecenter/policies_and_procedures/animal_welfare.html?zoom_highlight=animal+testing
I could list tons more links – but I will let AVON’s speak this time. People need to get their facts from the right sources. And the media is NOT reputable enough anymore to do so. AVON may be REQUIRED by China to submit to testing – that does NOT mean they ARE doing so, and have fought to change China’s policies for a few years now. If you did your research – you would know that 1) not ALL Avon products are offered in China – specifically the products that China requires animal testing on. 2) the tiny percent that were required to have animal testing done and USED to be offered in earlier China’s versions of the AVON brochure are no longer offered because of the testing issues.
So – hence – they are NOT bowing to China’s “animal testing regulations”. Other products that do NOT require the testing are sold in China. But, then again, if you actually did your research – then you would know this.
So this site, as well as many others who claim they are MEDIA outlets with news, need to start eliminating OPINION AND FICTITIOUS text – and start doing more research than just regurgitating “what they read online”. Seriously. PETA has it’s positives definitely – but they also twist and distort to further their agenda quite a bit. I used to work within the organization and LEFT it because of it’s half-truths and distorted facts.
The link you provided clearly states that .3% of Avon’s 9,000 products are being tested on animals in other countries. That means 27 products are being tested on animals. Avon is blaming the governments of other countries, but it was their decision to sell there. No excuse.
From the Avon website:
1. I thought Avon doesn’t conduct animal testing. Why has PETA put Avon’s name on the list of companies that do test on animals?
Avon’s commitment not to test on animals is the same as it has been for over twenty years – Avon neither conducts nor requests animal testing. Nothing has changed, and we continue to be in communication with PETA on the issue. Avon does business in over 100 countries, and some select products may be required by law in a few countries to undergo additional safety testing, which potentially includes animal testing, under the directive of a government or health agency. In these instances, Avon will first attempt to persuade the requesting authority to accept non-animal test data. When those attempts are unsuccessful, Avon must abide by local laws and submit the products for additional testing. This is not part of Avon’s product safety testing process.
Also – check this out – there’s a lawsuit against Avon and the British Avon website has taken down its non-animal testing claims: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/cosmetics-giants-misled-public-says-100m-lawsuit-7555047.html
Here’s more info you left out….China has been in it’s own little bubble for awhile. I think Avon is right and many changes have happened in China when companies stay and promote the change over time.
4. Why doesn’t Avon stop selling products where animal testing may be required?
Over our more than 125 year history Avon has served as an agent of positive change for critical issues, including women’s empowerment, human rights, environmental sustainability, diversity, animal welfare and much more. When faced with challenging situations around the world, our commitment is to remain in the countries affected and work to bring about change, such as the acceptance of non-animal testing methods. Abandoning a market does not help bring about a solution.
5. What is Avon doing globally to address this issue?
Avon has worked to advance alternatives to animal testing for decades. Avon’s Vice President of Product Safety & Integrity serves on the Scientific Advisory Panel of The Institute of the In Vitro Sciences, Inc., a non-profit research and testing organization dedicated to the advancement of in vitro (non-animal) methods worldwide (PETA is also a supporter of IIVS). Similarly, Avon continues to support research into alternatives conducted by the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME) in the United Kingdom, the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins University in the US, and the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing. Recently, Avon became a Founding Sponsor of the American Society for Cellular Computational Toxicology. In addition, Avon works closely on this issue with other companies in the Beauty industry through the US Personal Care Products Council.
I appreciate the info – always good to have both sides weigh in!
Could anyone please recommend CF products that are comparable in price & quality to Mary Kay? My mother & I have been using MK for years and are very upset for being misled.
Wow it’s not what you want to hear and thats why we stick with Tropic
Hum…these do not look like Chinese people in lab coats. What is really going on here is my question.
Please reveal your resources for this article.
You can see that Avon is selling in China here, on their website: http://www.avoncompany.com/aboutavon/avonmarkets.html – you can see that Mary Kay is selling in China here, on their own website: http://www.marykay.com/en-US/Pages/CountrySelector.aspx – here’s a list of EL’s companies: http://www.elcompanies.com/Pages/Our-Brands.aspx and here is their Chinese headquarters – http://www.elcompanies.com/Pages/Global-Directory.aspx – to my knowledge, all of their companies except for Aveda are currently sold in China. Aveda is questionable.
Phyllis – this is a stock photo of animal testing. Trust me – I’m not allowed to go into Chinese animal testing labs and start taking pictures – even if I lived anywhere near China.