Today, the leading global campaign to end the cruelty of animal testing for cosmetics – #BeCrueltyFree – launched in Chile at a media event hosted by NGO Te Protejo and Humane Society International. #BeCrueltyFree Chile features support from a cross-party group of Chilean lawmakers, together with artists, musicians, actors and TV hosts, and leading cruelty-free beauty brand LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. #BeCrueltyFree Chile is calling on federal lawmakers to join with nearly 40 other countries that have already banned the use of animals in cosmetic testing by enacting similar measures contained in the bipartisan federal bill No10514-11.

In 2016, the bipartisan group PARDA (Parlamentarios por la dignidad animal en Chile) introduced bill No10514-11 to modify the Health Code to prohibit the use of animals in toxicity testing of cosmetic products or their individual ingredients in Chile, as well as the sale of cosmetics that been  tested on animals abroad after the law change takes effect. PARDA general coordinator, Deputy Vlado Mirosevic, said: “I celebrate and thank #BeCrueltyFree Chile for pushing this pro animal cause, which we in Congress have also promoted, although still with little success. I hope that with the support of civil society this will be possible.”

Chile is the second largest cosmetics market in South America, and a critical player in the global movement toward a cruelty-free model in the beauty industry. Already more than 600 successful beauty brands on sale in the Americas have made a “cruelty-free” commitment, and are able to produce new, safe and profitable cosmetics. They do so by choosing from among thousands of widely available raw ingredients that are known to be safe, instead of purchasing newly developed chemicals that will also have been newly animal-tested. Te Protejo publishes a list of cruelty-free brands available in Chile at teprotejo.cl and via the free app #ViveCrueltyFree.

Camila Cortínez, general director of NGO Te Protejo and spokesperson for #BeCrueltyFree Chile, said: “In Chile it remains perfectly legal for cosmetic chemicals to be dripped into rabbits’ eyes and spread on their delicate skin, all for the sake of a new lipstick and skin cream. Yet Chilean consumers are increasingly demanding beauty products that are free of animal cruelty. Approving this law is a great step for our country, as it places us at the same level as the European Union in the market for cosmetics and personal care products. The public can support this bill by signing our petition at becrueltyfreechile.org and help us demonstrate to the government that animal testing for cosmetic products is unnecessary and should be banned.”

Sign the Global Pledge to Be Cruelty-Free.

Facts:

• Chilean law does not currently regulate animal testing for cosmetics. In 2016, the Institute of Public Health sold  235,510 animals for laboratory testing, of which an unknown number were used in tests for the cosmetic industry.
• Animal testing for cosmetics has been fully or partially banned in 37 countries, including the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, Israel, India, New Zealand, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, Guatemala, and five states in Brazil.
• Chilean celebrities supporting the launch of #BeCrueltyFree Chile include Pedro Engel (TV host), Antonella Rios (actress), Neptune Keller (vegan trans artist), Mariana Montenegro (lead singer in Denver), Jennifer Boldt (TV host and singer), Elvira Cristi (actress), Paloma Jimenez (model and photograph), Polo Ramirez (TV journalist) and Tabatha Pacer (TV host). Photos of the celebs sporting #BeCrueltyFree t-shirts are available online.

Media contact: Nicole Valdebenito, +56 9 8937 6741, nicole@teprotejo.cl