Boots / No.7 / SEVENTEEN etc - Animal Testing Policy

JULY 2018, FURTHER UPDATE




27.07.2018
I'm officially removing Boots/No7/SEVENTEEN/Botanics etc from my list of brands I'm happy to buy from. I've seen numerous comments on facebook from former employees saying they have seen correspondence referring to use of animal tested ingredients. Also today I've seen a response from Boots to someone saying outright that some of their suppliers 'may' have to test ingredients or components on animals.


They're straight up too shady and 'grey' for me to trust them and so I can no longer be confident they're cruelty free. So they're now a no-no for me.


Sal x



JULY 2018 - update


Keep your eye on the blog as I have recently read a lot of reports that Boots do use ingredient suppliers / ingredients that are tested on animals and so are not cruelty free. Their CF status seems to be very sketchy and they're not approved by any certification bodies or reputable bloggers. So I'm avoiding for now, until they can confirm they're ok.


Sal x


ORIGINAL POST AFTER THE JUMP







Good afternoon!

I often see in groups on Facebook etc, people insisting that No 7 / all Boots own brands are not cruelty free. I have always been advised by them that they are, so I asked them recently to confirm their policy for me in more detail, just to check. Here is their full response.




I should add, that Boots are now part of the Boots/Walgreens Alliance. So although this applies to Boots' own brands, I am not sure about Walgreens and from a quick google, I don't think Walgreens are cruelty free.



So if Parent/Sister companies bother you, then avoid. If not, here is the full statement.

Hello Sarah,

Thanks for contacting us about animal testing. Boots and its subsidiary businesses do not test any products or ingredients on animals, and do not commission others to do so on our behalf. In fact in March 2013 it became illegal for any company to test cosmetic products or ingredients on animals in Europe. The issue of animal testing on products and raw materials is one we take very seriously at Boots UK. For over 20 years our policy for cosmetics and toiletries has been that we do not carry out, or ask our suppliers to carry out on our behalf, animal testing on either ingredients or finished products and you can rest assured that we apply our policy rigorously. Boots would like to see an end to all animal testing, and we fully supported the development of the ban on animal testing on ingredients that came into force in the European Union in 2013. The ban applies to all cosmetics products purchased from any store across the EU and completes the ban that started with finished products in 2004 and was extended to cover most types of ingredient testing in 2009. The 2013 law has completed the ban for all forms of animal testing for both products and ingredients and now ensures that all companies in our industry in Europe are now aligned with the same policy that Boots has had in place for over 20 years. We would definitely like to see an end to all animal tests. We fully support the intentions of the BUAV and take a keen interest in the development and introduction of alternative forms of safety testing. I do understand that you may be looking for some information on other brands that we stock. The ban in Europe applies to all Cosmetics and Toiletries brands and not just Boots brands. Unfortunately I’m afraid that we cannot speak on behalf of other brands and suggest that for reassurance you contact them to ask them directly. I do hope you find the information I have provided helpful and reassuring. Please find below an FAQ that we have collated. This may be of interest to you and answer some more of the questions you may have. (NB: this is pretty much the questions I asked them in my email - Sal!) 1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals? - Boots do not test ingredients or finished product on animals 2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test? - Boots do not ask others to test on our behalf and we require that our suppliers and manufacturers comply with our animal testing policy 3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals? - No 4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals? - No 5. Do you have a parent company? If so who are they? - Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance 6. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? - We have no plans to sell products in China specifically because they require animal testing. Boots Customer Care. I hope that this is useful to some out there with queries. Have an awesome week Sal xXx