Trading Standards Urged to Protect Consumers From House of Fraser’s Misleading Claims
Trading Standards Urged to Protect Consumers From House of Fraser’s Misleading Claims
Edinburgh – PETA is urging Trading Standards to investigate possible consumer fraud at House of Fraser, which, in the run-up to Christmas, displayed signs directly above racks of animal-fur garments reading, “No Fur Product Is Stocked in House of Fraser.” In much smaller print, the sign continues, “(Unless It Is Responsibly Sourced)”.
PETA notes that House of Fraser began selling fur again in late 2019 after almost a decade as a fur-free department store chain, and customers who see the signs may be misled into purchasing a fur item, believing the fur to be synthetic. Among other places, the notice was displayed above coats from French brand Pyrenex which are trimmed with raccoon-dog fur.
The group further contends that the signage may trick consumers into shopping at the department store in the first place. According to a 2020 YouGov poll, when respondents in Britain were asked which terms they associate with brands that sell fur, “unethical”, “cruel”, and “out of touch” came out on top. Given that few consumers would knowingly buy from a business they deem to be cruel and unethical, by seemingly distorting its fur policy, House of Fraser could be hoodwinking conscious consumers who may walk straight out of the store if presented with accurate information.
What’s more, House of Fraser also does not tout any accreditation supporting its claim that its fur is “responsibly sourced” – and even when such accreditations are used, they are simply marketing schemes by the fur industry, as there is no “responsible” way to steal an animal’s skin.
“PETA is asking Trading Standards to stop House of Fraser from trying to dupe customers into buying the animal-fur products that no kind shopper wants,” says PETA Director Elisa Allen. “If House of Fraser wants to advertise that ‘no fur product is stocked’ in its stores, it can simply take the fur coats, collars, and cuffs off its racks.”
PETA exposés have revealed that animals killed for their fur spend their entire lives confined to filthy cages before finally being beaten, electrocuted, or gassed to death – or even skinned alive. Department stores such as Liberty and Selfridges have no-fur policies in place, and animal protection groups across the UK are calling for House of Fraser to follow suit, especially after COVID-19 swept through fur farms in Europe and North America. To date, nearly 40,000 people have joined PETA in urging House of Fraser to stop selling fur.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. The group’s letter to Trading Standards is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Contact:
Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]
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