Consumers Now Demand Vegan Cosmetics Production

The short film Save Ralph, which draws attention to the torture cosmetic brands inflict on animals, has become one of the most discussed topics on social media in recent days.

The film, highlighting cruel experiments on animals, has once again brought to the fore the growing importance of vegan and non-animal-tested products in recent years. Consumers now want human-, environment- and animal-friendly products to have greater market presence. In this context, consumers have begun to prioritize cosmetic brands that are certified and have not been tested on animals.

REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO LISTS PUBLISHED BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Levent Kahrıman, General Director of Laber Organik, commenting on vegan products and animal testing, said: "A vegan cosmetic product contains no animal or animal-derived ingredients. If it contains ingredients such as honey, beeswax, lanolin, collagen, albumin, carmine, or gelatin, it would be incorrect to claim that the product is vegan. For this reason, plant-based alternatives to collagen and gelatin in particular have begun to be produced. Going forward, we will see these alternative ingredients more frequently in product formulations." Kahrıman stated: "Instead of conducting tests on animals to develop and assess the safety of new, untested ingredients in cosmetic products, innovative products can be created using thousands of existing ingredients with a safe history of use that require no additional testing. Moreover, the use of in vitro and other non-animal testing methods, as well as modern test approaches such as sophisticated computer models, deliver faster, cheaper, and more effective results compared to animal testing. The truth is, we are a vital part of the solution. We continue our efforts to support the laws that need to be changed and bans on animal testing. When many of us see the word "vegan," we assume the product has not been tested on animals. However, vegan products may have been tested on animals. Therefore, consumers can follow the lists regularly published by organizations such as PETA and Cruelty Free International. As a company, we conduct sustainable production that respects the environment and living things. Our products consist of organic-certified, vegan, non-animal-tested products that consumers can safely use. These PETA-accredited products attract considerable interest both domestically and internationally," he said.

ANIMAL TESTING BANNED IN 40 COUNTRIES

Kahrıman drew attention to the fact that animal testing for cosmetics has been officially banned in 40 countries, stating: "China makes animal testing mandatory for all cosmetic products. However, cosmetics legislation has been amended to eliminate some of these requirements. In 2014, China allowed companies producing "conventional" cosmetics (such as shampoo or mascara) within the country to avoid animal testing for their products, while still requiring animal testing for imported products. In 2021, it again revised its regulations to allow some companies to import normal cosmetic products into the country without the need for animal testing." "In the European Union, a ban on animal testing and the sale of cosmetic products obtained through such testing came into force in 2013. India, Israel, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland enacted similar laws. California, Illinois, and Nevada, as well as Australia, Colombia, Guatemala, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and some states in Brazil, enacted or restricted laws banning cosmetic animal testing. For this reason, cosmetic companies conducting animal tests in the United States and abroad cannot sell their products in these countries unless they change their practices."

NOT ALL ORGANIC IS ORGANIC

Kahrıman emphasized that consumers need to check the certification of products labeled as organic, saying: "People can confuse natural and organic products. In this regard, organic cosmetics emerge as safe cosmetics. For a product to be called organic, it must be produced through organic farming and certified. Additionally, while natural products can be natural with as little as 0.1 percent plant content, for a cosmetic to obtain organic certification, it must be obtained through certified organic farming and contain at least 20 percent plant-based content." Kahrıman added: "In recent years, organic cosmetics are becoming increasingly widespread in the world and in our country. People now tend to use products that are not harmful to the planet, nature, humanity, animals, and plants, with a greater tendency to think of others. These trends are more evident in generations Y and Z. As a company that values sustainability, supports agriculture and farmers, generates its own energy, and offers innovative products, we are intensifying our investments and research and development efforts. We are engaged in activities aimed at making our country one of the dominant forces in this market," he said.