Avon Cosmetics Announces Support For A Worldwide Ban On Animal Testing

After becoming the first major cosmetics company to end testing on animals for cosmetics more than three decades ago, Avon Products, Inc., today announced its support for a worldwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics by backing Humane Society International on its #BeCrueltyFree initiative.

The campaign is leading legislative reform to prohibit cosmetics testing on animals in all major global beauty markets by 2023.

“Avon’s been working to end animal testing for 30 years, but as an industry, there is still more to do. I’m proud of our contribution to driving change to date. But we’re even stronger if we work with others,” Louise Scott, Chief Scientific Officer at Avon, said in a statement. “We are confident that through collaborations with HSI and other committed partners, we will accelerate the transition to alternative approaches to animal testing and result in a worldwide ban.”

Avon has committed to support #BeCrueltyFree to drive regulatory change in key markets around the world, predominantly in Latin America and Southeast Asia, towards the desired global ban. Avon will also support the recently launched Non-Animal Cosmetic Safety Assessment Collaboration (NACSA). NACSA aims to promote best practice in animal-free safety assessment among companies and government health authorities to promote faster acceptance and use of modern non-animal approaches, particularly in countries such as China, where cosmetic animal testing is still required by law for some products.

“As a household name in so many of our priority campaign regions, thanks to its direct-to-consumer marketing, Avon’s reach will provide a significant boost to our efforts to abolish cosmetic cruelty across the globe,” said HSI Vice President for Research and Toxicology Troy Seidle. “Other socially conscious beauty brands are encouraged to join Humane Society International in supporting meaningful legislative change to usher in a new era of ethical beauty worldwide.”

As part of Avon’s support for HSI’s campaign, it will continue to actively collaborate with global partners to accelerate the adoption of a worldwide ban on animal testing.

The new multi-year collaboration between Avon and HSI will include Avon’s support for robust legislation to prohibit cosmetic animal testing in key global beauty markets and participation alongside other leading brands to enhance capability across companies and regulatory authorities so safety decisions for cosmetics are based on exclusively non-animal approaches.