Recently, two pioneering makers of cruelty-free products—The Body Shop and Tom’s of Maine—were acquired by large multinational companies—L’Oréal and Colgate, respectively. Caring consumers can send a message to the larger companies that cruelty-free products are good for business by continuing to buy The Body Shop and Tom’s of Maine products—both companies have pledged to keep their strong policies against testing on animals.
We has a written communication from The Body Shop assuring us that the company’s no-animal-tests policy will not change and that all its products will remain cruelty-free, and in a written statement, Tom’s of Maine founders Tom and Kate Chappell assured customers, “You will continue to be able to rely on our tried and true Natural Care products based on our model of stewardship and sustainability. We will continue to make products without artificial preservatives, sweeteners, or dyes and without animal testing or animal ingredients.”
Show Big Business That Buyers Want Compassion Across the Board
Invariably, when massive corporations buy smaller, more compassionate companies, the big companies learn from the smaller companies’ success that consumers are concerned about things such as animal testing and cruelty to farmed animals. For example, Boca Foods, maker of vegetarian burgers and other vegetarian products, is now owned by hot dog giant Oscar Mayer; ConAgra owns faux-meat maker LightLife; and Dean Foods, the largest dairy products company in the world, owns White Wave, the maker of Silk soy milk and other nondairy products. These conglomerates’ purchases of compassionate companies have caused humane products to become more widely promoted and sold than ever before. Mainstream America sees them and hears about them, which enables them to become more popular. Rather than turning our backs on trusted companies that are looking to expand their businesses and make their products available to caring customers everywhere, it is important that we continue to support these companies, which have rejected animal testing from the get-go.
Large corporations now recognize the expanding market of compassionate consumers who want cruelty-free food, cosmetics, and clothing. We’re hopeful that the strong no-animal-testing policies of The Body Shop and Tom’s of Maine will persuade Colgate and L’Oréal to permanently abandon animal tests once and for all.