Compassionate Shopping

 L'Oréal Fact File

L'Oréal say: "L'Oréal voluntarily stopped animal testing on its entire range of cosmetic products in 1989."

Fact

 EU legislation requires that newly developed ingredients are tested on animals, where no alternatives exist.

Fact

 L’Oreal continue to use newly developed ingredients in their products.

  • L'Oréal justify their use of animal tested ingredients, claiming that: "Companies manufacturing all types of products containing chemical substances, with no exception, can... only use ingredients which have undergone compulsory safety tests."

  • This statement leads the consumer to believe that any animal testing has nothing to do with the cosmetics companies, and lays the blame squarely on legislation!

  • It fails to acknowledge that it is perfectly possible to create cosmetics and associated products using ingredients with an established safety record – this is how ethical companies such as The Co-op and The Body Shop have adopted 'fixed cut off dates'.

The cost of innovation

  • In 2002 L'Oréal submitted 501 patents for newly developed formulations, with 1400 new formulations being registered in the last three years.

  • Yet the Cosmetic sector defends the continuing introduction of new products saying "In essence these products are a response to consumer demand"

  • There is a simple solution to this – boycott companies whom have not yet adopted fixed cut off date policies.

In reality it is L’Oréal’s quest for expanding markets and bigger profits that lead them to develop new ingredients - the animal testing of which they try to sidestep responsibility for when they cite 'compulsory safety tests'.

Cosmetic Testing Alternatives – FACTS AND FIGURES

  • Every year 3-4% % of L'Oréal Group consolidated sales is invested in product Research and Development, in 2004 this equated to €507 million.

  • In 2004 alone, L'Oréal submitted 586 patents for newly developed formulations.

  • In 2003 L'Oréal made a huge profit of €2,362 million.

  • In comparison, the cosmetics sector in Europe under the leadership of COLIPA, have spent €500 million over the past twenty years on the use, development and promotion of alternatives to animal testing

    ...A MERE DROP IN THE OCEAN.

Back to the Shopping Guide front page