Whole Foods Market has announced its support for the Humane Cosmetics Act, the federal legislation that would end the production and sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the United States and prohibit the import of cosmetics that have been tested on animals anywhere in the world.
Over 370 independent companies have now officially endorsed the Humane Cosmetics Act, in addition to nearly 600 member companies of the Personal Care Products Council.
Eight U.S. states have passed laws to end the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in recent years, including: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey and Virginia.
Jen Coccaro, vice president of merchandising for health, wellness and beauty at Whole Foods Market, said, "At Whole Foods Market, we believe that what goes on your body is as important as what goes in it, and we take pride in inspiring people to optimize well-being beyond what they eat. We know that our customers value thoughtfully-sourced beauty and body care products that avoid animal testing, and we are proud of the progress we have made thus far. We look forward to continuing to work with the Humane Society of the United States and stakeholders across the industry to raise the bar for animal welfare and empower our customers to make better decisions for their bodies and minds.”
Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said, "Whole Foods Market has been popular with socially conscious consumers for years. By joining the growing consensus among companies that have endorsed the Humane Cosmetics Act, they are showing that they value their customers’ ethics. We look forward to working with them to ensure that the United States becomes the next country to require cosmetics companies to replace primitive animal tests with cutting-edge science that is more human-relevant, helping animals and consumers alike.”
Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said, "Years ago, Whole Foods Market added cruelty-free cosmetics to store shelves, laying the very foundation for its endorsement of the Humane Cosmetics Act. Now, passage of the bill will ensure shelves in stores everywhere sell nothing but humane cosmetics. It’s perfectly natural that a company so committed to meeting consumer demand for humanely produced cosmetics would back the demand for a public policy measure that sets the standard for our humane future.”
