Urban Decay Receives Award After Cancelling Plans to Sell in China

For Immediate Release:
9 July 2012

Contact:
Ben Williamson +44 (0)7525 411 733; [email protected]

London – Following discussions with PETA US – and after receiving e-mails from thousands of its supporters – top cosmetics company Urban Decay has cancelled previously announced plans to begin marketing its products in China, where cruel and deadly animal tests are currently required by the government. For staying true to its slogan – “We don’t test on animals. How could anyone?” – at the cost of potential financial benefit, Urban Decay has been returned to the Humane Cosmetics Standard endorsed by PETA UK and will also receive PETA US’ Courage in Commerce Award.

“Urban Decay is a corporate champion in PETA’s book for refusing to pay for animals to be harmed and killed for the sake of overseas profits”, says PETA UK Founder Ingrid E Newkirk. “The company’s ethical decision also reveals the moral decay of other larger companies that have sold animals out for a market share in China.”

Bold and edgy, Urban Decay’s cosmetics products – many of which are specially marked with a purple pawprint to show that they are vegan – have long been a top choice for consumers who are as fashion conscious as they are concerned about animal welfare.

Not all companies are as principled as Urban Decay is: Estée Lauder, Avon and Mary Kay recently changed their animal testing policies in order to begin paying for poisoning tests on animals to market their products in China. But ethical companies such as Urban Decay may not have long to wait before non-animal tests are accepted in China: thanks to PETA US–funded scientists, the Chinese government is now poised to accept its first-ever non-animal test for cosmetics ingredients.

For more information on animal testing, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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