04/24/07 Croatian Consumers Demand Ethical Products
On the occassion of the World Day for Laboratory Animals, Animal Friends announces the results of a poll and presents the new Croatian Black and White List of companies
On the occassion of the World Day for Laboratory Animals (April 24), Animal Friends announces the results of an independed official poll done by Spem Communication Group Zagreb, according to which 83.3% of citizens have stated that cosmetics and cleaning products should have a label declaring whether they are tested on animals, while 73.7 percent of citizens would rather choose products which are not tested on animals.
As a member of European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) Animal Friends also presents the new, more strict list of companies which test or do not test their products and ingredients on animals, which can be found on the Animal Friends' web page and on the regular Animal Friends' info stalls.
By purchasing only cruelty-free products, you can help save millions of animals that are poisoned, blinded, and killed every year to test shampoos, household cleaners, cosmetics, hairsprays, and other personal-care and household items. These tests are not required by law, and they often produce inaccurate or misleading results - even if a product has blinded an animal, it can still be marketed to you. Although many companies have decided not to test on animals, some corporations still force substances into animals' stomachs and drip chemicals into rabbits' eyes.
Animal Friends offers information about the testing policy of companies that produce chemical products used for the cleaning and disinfection of articles for general use such as cosmetic products and their ingredients.
On the Croatian White List, Animal Friends offers information about ethical companies that do not test neither their final products nor ingredients on animals and which pay attention that ingredients they purchase are not tested on animals. Animal Friends invites consumers to support such companies by buying only their products.
On the Croatian Gray List, Animal Friends offers information about companies which did not partially or at all reply to Animal Friends' questionnaire about the testing policy of their final products and ingredients or which do not pay attention to ingredients they purchase for their final products. Animal Friends warns that purchase of the products of these companies is at your own conscience and responsibility.
The Croatian Black List offers information about non-ethical companies which do test either their final products and/or ingredients on animals and/or which purchase ingredients that are tested on animals. Animal Friends invites consumers to boycott such companies by not buying their products.
The Croatian Animal Protection Act prohibits the use of animals in experiments for the research or development of chemical products used for cleaning and disinfection of articles of general use, the research or development of ingredients, combinations of ingredients and finished cosmetic products. However, this does not mean that all products of Croatian companies are ethical because testing for Croatian companies can be performed abroad or ingredients Croatian companies purchase might be tested on animals. Therefore, in order for Croatian companies to be added on Croatian White List, besides the legal ban they must pay attention that ingredients they do not produce by themselves but purchase from their suppliers are not tested on animals.
Ethically conscious consumers who do not wish to use products that were tested on animals need such information about testing of final products and their ingredients. If the company which produces final products does not produce ingredients as well but purchase them from their suppliers, it needs to pay attention that neither of the ingredients was tested on animals by any mean by any supplier. Only then it can be said that its final product is truly cruelty-free, in other words it was not tested on animals. Companies must make this information available to their consumers.
The best way against cruel practice of animal testing is the influence of consumers, whose opinion can lead to overall legal ban of animal testing but also of selling of products tested on animals.
