Lush's Policy
Lush are firmly committed to a policy which not only precludes testing its products and ingredients on animals, or engaging with third-party suppliers to do so on their behalf, but we will also not buy any ingredient from any supplier that tests any of its materials on any animals for any purpose. This policy is unique in its field and is pioneering a new way to stop animal tests for cosmetics.
Lush runs its own Supplier Specific Boycott Policy. There are clear benefits to this policy, which is different and distinct from the Fixed Cut-off Date policy employed by the Humane Cosmetics Standard (Leaping Bunny logo).
Can the ingredients Lush use be tested for other purposes, but still used in cosmetics?
While some other policies only preclude the use of ingredients tested on animals for use in cosmetics, the Lush policy means the company will not do business with any supplier that is engaged in any animal testing for any purpose, be it cosmetics, food, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc.
All of Lush’s suppliers have to sign a statement saying that they adhere to this policy, and the statements are resent to suppliers on an annual basis and reiterated and signed for with each purchase order for ingredients. In addition, the entire supply chain is audited by an independent consultant to ensure that suppliers are in compliance with the policy.
Why do Lush not have a Fixed Cut-Off Date like some other companies?
Other policies apply a specific timeframe during or after which a company will not buy ingredients which have been tested on animals, but therefore do not offer a financial incentive for ingredients manufacturers to stop all animal testing because, even if they did, under a fixed cut-off date the manufacturers would still not qualify for any additional business from that company.
The Lush policy actively encourages suppliers to switch from animal to non-animal testing methodologies by enabling them to immediately become eligible to supply the Lush when they stop testing on animals. This policy is like a traditional boycott campaign, in other words, stop doing the thing we object to (testing on animals) and we will call off the boycott (reward you with our business).
If you don't test on animals, how do you make sure your products are safe to use?
Lush feel that not only is the testing of cosmetic products and ingredients on animals unnecessary and unethical, but it is also scientifically unreliable, unable to adequately access the safety or efficiency of a product or ingredient, and may even allow unsafe products onto the market. We prefer to know that our products are safe for the humans that are going to be using them, so all of our products go through a rigorous assessment, and human trials using our panel of volunteer human testers. We prefer to use only natural ingredients with a proven record of safe use, and where we have to use synthetic ingredients we again use only those with a long and proven record of safe use.
Does Lush campaign against animal testing?
Lush encourage and support the development and validation of non-animal testing methodologies and will actively campaign for their use instead of outmoded and cruel animal experiments. Lush have also been actively engaged in trying to stop the use of animals in Europe’s largest animal testing programme, REACH, and to ensure that the EU Cosmetics Directive, which calls for a ban on all animal testing for finished cosmetic products and ingredients by 2009, is fully realised and implemented.