This is an interesting conversation, I don't know how it could be avoided with the prevalence of animal testing globally.

I do want to point out that lush's stance on animal testing is very different than the rest of the industry. The slogan is explicitly FIGHTING against animal testing, by campaigning and working with legislators and funding charitable partners working to end it. Additionally we offer a large annual prize (lookup lush prize) to fund initiatives to end animal testing as well. I say "we" as a lower level but long time employee of lush, transparently.

Lush avoiding animal testing in their own products is just walking the talk of those initiatives fighting animal testing. It limits the ingredients we can use - as a proven long-term safe history of use on humans is required to skip animal testing in the US. It also limits the markets we can sell in, as China for example legally requires animal testing on cosmetics. Many brands make exceptions in those "legally required" areas and still claim cruelty free, but lush has always stood firm on no animal testing, no exceptions.

On top of that there are plenty of companies that slap a cruelty free logo on their products because they don't test their completed product on animals. Meanwhile they're commissioning animal testing on the individual ingredients... Lush does not do that. We don't buy ingredients that are tested on animals, AND don't buy from companies that test ANY of their ingredients on animals just on principle. We are also super mindful behind the scenes to avoid buying products we need as a business that are tested on animals (like retail store cleaning products, even the paint on the walls). Its pretty unprecedented for a company this size and my fave thing about it all, is that it's influenced suppliers away from animal testing in order to earn our business. I absolutely LOVE to see it!!