Bunnies Offered Protection With New Technology
SAFE is announcing the spring launch of its “bunny protector” – a new mobile phone app that will help shoppers on the go
avoid animal-tested cosmetics products.
Suitable for both iPhone and android, the ‘SAFEshopper Cruelty-free NZ’ app will be the first of its kind here. At no
cost to users, the app will display a list of cosmetics, personal care, and household products available in New Zealand,
that are not tested on animals.
SAFE’s head of campaigns, Mandy Carter, says: “No one wants to see animals suffering for the sake of a new shampoo or
lipstick. There are many easy- to-find brands that are hugely successful without harming any animals and it just goes to
show how unnecessary animal testing is.” Rabbits, guinea pigs and mice are most commonly used in eye and skin irritation
tests as well as in lethal toxicity tests in which the animals are fed massive doses of chemicals. Some of these tests
were first developed in the 1940s and cannot be relied upon to guarantee consumer safety. Cruelty-free companies operate
by combining use of long-established ingredients with modern, non-animal testing methods.
Currently animal testing for cosmetics purposes is not illegal in New Zealand and companies that test overseas can also
sell their products here.
“We’re working hard to get a New Zealand ban and an import ban, but until that happens it’s very important for shoppers
to look out for cruelty-free products. SAFEshopper makes that easy,” says Mandy.
Bans are already in place in Norway, Israel, India, the 28 member states of the European Union and, most recently, the
Brazilian state of São Paulo. Legislative measures are also under discussion in Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan
and the United States. Animal testing is particularly a problem for big name brands that sell their products in China
due to mandatory animal testing.
Shortland Street actor Angela Bloomfield, who has been behind the cruelty-free campaign since its inception, is giving
the app the ‘thumbs-up’. Angela says, “It can’t get any easier to avoid cruelty as you shop, with SAFE’s new
Cruelty-Free app! It’s going to make a huge difference in my life while I’m out shopping – with just a few taps on my
phone screen. I’m hoping other women are going to make use of this very accessible tool too, and help keep animals out
of testing labs.”
A poll commissioned by SAFE revealed that over 88 per cent of New Zealanders want a ban on cosmetics testing on animals.
The Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association, which represents 112 member, has also stated their support for a ban.
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