Harvey Nichols Is on Sharon Osbourne’s ‘Naughty’ List This Christmas
It takes a lot to reach the top of Sharon Osbourne’s “naughty” list, but Harvey Nichols’ refusal to end sales of fur clothing has landed it in trouble with the X Factor judge.
The department store was fur-free for over a decade before it dropped its ethical policy and resumed selling items trimmed with the skins of coyotes, foxes, and rabbits. The cruel fur trade hides behind a marketing ploy called “Origin Assured”, which was created following years of plummeting sales. Fur from farms in 29 countries can potentially be labelled “Origin Assured”, simply because these countries have environmental standards, animal-welfare laws, or best-practice guidelines – but whether or not these regulations are enforced isn’t taken into consideration.
Having learned about the horrors of the fur trade from PETA, Sharon has since helped spread the word about the cruel industry. After hearing that Harvey Nichols has turned its back on ethics, in favour of profit, she’s sent the company’s CEO a festive reminder that it’s time to end sales of real fur:
Fur used to be seen as a luxury item back when consumers – myself included – didn’t know about the violence and cruelty involved in its production. Now that facts are easier to find, most people – again, including me – wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it. And most retailers wouldn’t even consider peddling it. That’s why I was shocked to learn from my friends at PETA that Harvey Nichols has abandoned its decade-long no-fur policy. This officially puts you at the top of my naughty list (which is truly saying something!), so I thought it apt to send you a sack of coal.
On fur farms in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and other so-called “Origin Assured” countries, animals such as foxes, rabbits, and minks are kept in filthy wire cages – sometimes alongside the rotting corpses of other animals – and are left to suffer from untreated injuries, including missing limbs. Frightened and distressed, they often mutilate themselves and others in the cage. Then, they’re slaughtered – just so that their skin can be made into clothing.
You can help end this appalling cruelty by sending a message to Harvey Nichols CEO Stacey Cartwright asking her to reinstate the shop’s fur-free policy:
