Dead bunnies and PETA call out the EU for its dire stance on animal testing

Campaign group PETA has provocatively highlighted how the EU is still allowing animal testing for human cosmetics. This is despite EU assurances to the contrary, and a so-called ‘ban’ which the group says is not fit for purpose. Once again, corporations are profiting off the back of appalling animal rights.

PETA: stop the cruelty of animal testing

Dressed as bruised and bloodied rabbits, two PETA supporters hung “lifeless” from a gigantic makeup bag outside the European Commission headquarters earlier today to blast the institution for allowing animals to be tormented, poisoned, and killed in cruel, avoidable tests for cosmetics ingredients used in products such as sunscreen, shampoo, and perfume:

The action comes as the European Chemicals Agency – supported by the European Commission – continues to undermine a European Union–wide ban on animal testing for cosmetics by demanding these tests under the guise of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulation:

“Allowing animals to be poisoned with chemicals, tormented, and then dissected for shampoo and sunscreen breaks the promise made when the EU banned these cruel and archaic tests” says PETA science policy advisor Dr Jen Hochmuth. “PETA is calling on the European Commission to close these shameful loopholes with a complete ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients”.

A single test for a cosmetics ingredient can involve hundreds of rabbits, some of whom will be force-fed an ingredient throughout pregnancy before they and their unborn offspring are killed and dissected.

When a ban is not a ban

In 2023, a European citizens’ initiative calling for the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients to be protected and strengthened was validated with over 1.2 million statements of support from European citizens. The commission’s response was woeful, as it failed to recognise that the ban was being weakened and refused to take action.

PETA US’s global Beauty Without Bunnies database helps consumers choose companies that have shunned tests on animals in favour of effective, modern, non-animal methods.

Featured image and additional images via PETA