Dove recently announced that the brand is now “cruelty-free” but what does that mean exactly? Does that mean that cruelty-free supporters can go out and buy Dove products now? Some of you may be thinking yes, but as stated in a previous post here, sometimes a cruelty-free label can be misleading. So, is Dove truly a cruelty-free brand now? Keep reading to find out.
Dove recently obtained a PETA certification stating that they are a cruelty-free brand. To be qualified for a PETA cruelty-free certification, a brand must comply with the following:
The brand must pledge not to test on animals anywhere in production. The brand’s ingredient suppliers must pledge to the same statement.
That’s it. It is a voluntary pledge that only requires a signature. There are currently no audits being conducted by PETA to confirm that brands are still abiding by their pledge. The PETA certifications also do not guarantee that brands are not selling in markets where animal testing is required by law. There are many PETA certified brands who either a) still have suppliers who test on animals (ie. Rusk) or b) sell in China where animal testing is required by law (ie. Smashbox).
Does Dove sell in markets where animal testing is required by law?
Dove sells in China and will continue to do so. Dove makes their products in China to avoid the pre-market animal testing requirement; however, there is currently no way to avoid post-market animal testing, where products are pulled off the shelves for testing. All products sold in China are subject to post-market animal testing with no exceptions, and since Dove sells in China, they are not cruelty-free.
Is Dove owned by a parent company that tests on animals?
Yes. Dove is owned by Unilever, a corporation that is still testing on animals.
So, is Dove really cruelty-free?
No. Dove is not 100% cruelty-free.
It is important to always check the details behind a brand’s cruelty-free claims, even if they are PETA-certified. With the cruelty-free movement growing rapidly, brands are finding every way they can to dip into the cruelty-free market, and sometimes a “cruelty-free” claim can unfortunately be a marketing scheme.
Thank you for educating yourself on this topic when deciding whether or not to support Dove. What are your thoughts on this issue? Let me know in the comments below.
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XO, Stephanie
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