LUSH cosmetics and the Dr Hadwen Trust team up for laboratory animals.
LUSH, the handmade, cruelty-free cosmetics company has joined forces with leading non-animal medical research charity the Dr Hadwen Trust to call for increased efforts to replace animal experiments in Europe.
The initiative, which involves a massive drive to collect public petition signatures in all 88 of LUSH’s stores nationwide, is timed to coincide with the imminent revision of Europe’s 20 year old law on animal experiments (1). The mass petition was launched by the Dr Hadwen Trust charity at the beginning of the year, with signatures being collected across Europe in 11 languages, making it one of the biggest pan-European petitions of its kind. LUSH stores in other EU member states are also expected to take part in the campaign. You can sign the petition at www.endeuanimaltests.org
Combining the lobbying and scientific expertise of the charity with the international reach and high-profile status of such a well-known high-street brand as LUSH Cosmetics, means the initiative will be better able to mobilise support from ethical consumers. It will also raise vital awareness about the ‘animal testing’ Directive and encourage citizens to get involved.
“Taking ethical campaign issues to the shop floor is something that LUSH does really well,” says the Dr Hadwen Trust’s Wendy Higgins. “It’s also a very direct way for our charity to connect with the general public. There’s a real role for people to play as the legislation is debated in Brussels, and we’re confident that LUSH customers will embrace that.”
The EU Directive 86/609 is out of date and in urgent need of revision. A revised draft is expected shortly (2) and the petition calls on EU legislators to do everything in their power to significantly increase progress in non-animal replacement techniques. The current law neglects to regulate large areas of laboratory animal use such as ‘basic research’ (including much medical research). As a result, European efforts to replace animal experiments in these areas have tended to be overlooked despite the fact that they offer some of the most significant opportunities to end animal suffering.
“There is far too much complacency surrounding non-animal research” says the Dr Hadwen Trust’s Wendy Higgins, “and the revision of Directive 86/609 is a perfect opportunity for the Commission to pick up the pace. Replacing animal experiments with modern non-animal techniques should be an urgent priority. It is not only more ethical, it also makes good scientific sense as these tests are often more relevant and reliable as well as quicker and cheaper to perform. European citizens are demanding more money and more progress, and now Europe’s legislators have a chance to commit to targeted action that will really make a difference for animals and people.”
There are currently more than 13 million animal experiments in Europe each year (3), with the UK the largest user of laboratory animals in Europe (4). A recent European Commission citizens’ survey revealed that 79% of Europeans believe there is a lack of funds for the development and validation of non-animal alternatives (5). The Dr Hadwen Trust’s partnership with LUSH is a vital part of the campaign to reach 100,000 petition signatures and further demonstrate clear public support for non-animal research (6). Signatures will be handed in to MEPs in Brussels early next year as the revised Directive starts the long process of debate between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
“LUSH are well-known for their ethics and particularly their strict avoidance of animal testing so they are the ideal partners for an initiative like this.” says Wendy Higgins. “This campaign is about raising awareness and giving EU citizens a voice that will be listened to. LUSH customers will now play a vital role in that and we are proud to be working with them.”
Notes:
1. Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes.
2. The Commission will produce and adopt a proposal which will be sent to the European Parliament and the Council to undergo co-decision procedure (due to start early/mid 2007, and lasting approximately two years).
3. Statistics compiled by the Dr Hadwen Trust using latest statistical returns from each member state.
4. There were 3,012,032 animal procedures in the UK during 2006. Home Office publication: Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2006 (Published July 2007).
5. Results of questionnaire for the general public on the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes conducted 16 June – 18 August 2006. There were 42,655 replies, from all 25 Member States, as well as third countries.
6. The petition will appear in LUSH stores week commencing October 1st, with plans for selected stores in other EU member states to also participate.
7. The petition can also be signed at www.endeuanimaltests.org
8. The petition specifically asks that * EU initiatives to replace laboratory animals will apply to all categories of experiments; * a publicly accessible, comprehensive database of replacement methods is established by the EU; and * a duty is placed on all Member States, institutions and individual scientists to seek, develop and implement methods to replace animal experiments and make immediate use of existing replacement techniques.
9. The Dr Hadwen Trust is the UK’s leading medical research charity funding exclusively non-animal research techniques to replace animal experiments, benefiting people and animals. Registered charity 261096.
10. Since establishing 11 years ago, Lush Cosmetics has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Lush publicly campaigns against animal experiments and operates a strict internal policy against animal testing. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath ballistic, shower jellies and butter creams and solid shampoo bars, Lush places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetable and supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives.
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