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Thread: Response from Dove/Unilever

  1. #1
    wandering.... snufkin's Avatar
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    Default Response from Dove/Unilever

    Just thought I would share this.

    Upon researching about dove and unilever (whose products I used for years) and learning that they participate in animal testing, I sent them a little message (almost as an afterthought) after I threw my deodorants and soaps in the trash.

    My message:

    A product campaigning for real beauty shouldn't be connected
    to the use of animal products or animal testing and abuse, which is
    ugly. If your products do not test on animals or use animal ingredients
    or by-products you should advertise it on the product itself. That would
    be truly beautiful.

    Their response:

    Dear Miriam,

    This responds to your recent inquiry regarding Unilever's policy on
    animal testing. We recognize the concern of organizations such as PETA
    and individuals such as you, with respect to this very complicated and
    complex issue. Globally, Unilever is committed to the elimination of
    animal testing. We would like to take this opportunity to outline our
    initiatives in this area and the significant progress we have made
    toward meeting this goal.

    Our position is, and has historically been, that we do not test any
    finished products on animals except where required by government
    regulation. In such cases, as part of our ongoing commitment to
    eliminate animal testing, we encourage the local authorities to change
    these regulations. In addition, we do not use animal testing when there
    is an accepted alternative test or existing information available to
    evaluate the health impact and safety of our products. In further
    pursuit of this goal, Unilever has committed a significant amount of
    time, effort and funding to developing acceptable, non-animal
    alternatives:

    - Unilever currently spends approximately $4 million per year globally
    to develop novel risk assessment approaches to assure safety without
    animal testing, such as the development of biological and computer-based
    modeling techniques. We believe these technologies will help replace
    animal testing altogether.
    - One of the major barriers to eliminating animal testing is the very
    deliberate pace at which government authorities approve such
    alternatives. In 2005, Unilever helped launch the European Partnership
    for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA). The aim of this
    initiative by the European Commission and industry is to increase and
    coordinate efforts to significantly accelerate the rate at which
    alternatives are agreed to, validated and put into practice. The
    organization communicates regularly with a mirror group that includes
    animal welfare organizations. Its goal is to ensure that every
    opportunity is taken to refine, reduce and replace the use of animals.
    - In the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, we continue to support the
    passage of legislation that promotes the elimination of animal testing
    through the development and acceptance of alternative methods.
    As soon as non-animal alternatives are validated and accepted by
    government authorities, they are accepted by us along with the many
    companies and organizations with whom we collaborate.
    We appreciate that you contacted us about this issue and we thank you
    for your comments.

    Sincerely,
    Your friends at Unilever

    what i find bewildering is how could actual people, a.k.a human beings, be paid off to conduct testing and experiments on animals? If there is something that needs to be tested due to suspicion of toxicity it shouldn't be used at all! ESPECIALLY FOR THINGS LIKE SOAP AND DEODORANT!

  2. #2
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Well, they are working towards eliminating animal testing. That's a good thing as far as I can see. Hopefully soon they will not use animals to test their products at all.

  3. #3
    [LMNOP] ellaminnowpea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Wow I didn't know they were doing so much work on eliminating animal testing! It's great that they replied and let you know about what they're doing. I think this is a great step. The next part is working on the government laws around testing.
    “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” ~ Alcott

  4. #4
    wandering.... snufkin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    yes i am surprised that they did a response! I guess I wasn't looking at the bright side, lol. of course it's wonderful that they're trying to eliminate it, i wrote that thinking about soap and deodorant and common things like that that can be made without products that need testing.

    one part that made me think was this.

    "In such cases, as part of our ongoing commitment to
    eliminate animal testing, we encourage the local authorities to change
    these regulations. "

    i wonder if there are petitions for this or if this is something individuals can affect locally in their area.

  5. #5
    Yoggy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Something I don't understand is, if tons of other companies can make beauty products without testing on animals (Kiss My Face, Nature's Gate, etc), why is Dove forced to test on animals because of regulations? Is it because of the ingredients they use? And if so, why not use ingredients that don't have to be tested on animals? Personally, I think that if their ingredients are so questionable that they have to be controlled by government regulations, maybe it wouldn't be a good thing to change the regulations to make it easier to include these ingredients in their products. Maybe the regulations should be changed to ban these ingredients. Of course no one would ever go that far, it would be too much of an inconvenience to the corporations that manufacture these questionable products
    "Man can do as he wills, but not will as he wills" - Arthur Schopenhauer

  6. #6
    Piticli
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    I don't believe them. Sure they are lieing. I see the message they sent to you like other kind of advertising. They don't care animals,they only want money.And they have got good liers working to them.

  7. #7
    Sluggie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    It may be a problem for multinational companies trying to sell a product globally, when there are different regulations in different countries. If Country A doesn't demand animal testing but Country B does, and you want to sell your product in both countries, you will have to test it. You cannot pretend to customers in Country A that you didn't test it. Until there is international agreement on animal testing, it's better to look for small, independent companies that definitively state that they do not test.

  8. #8
    Honest_Goodbye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    I sent them an email a while back wondering if they test on animals, and received a simular response... personally i thought they were making up excuses and trying to get me to buy their products.

  9. #9
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Yes I was just looking back at my records from 3 years ago....and I received something very similar way back then.

  10. #10
    Knolishing Pob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    I suppose a follow up question would be to ask for a list of what tests they have done. Or at least a list of number and types of test. And some proof that they were reducing testing.

    I wouldn't hold your breath on getting quantitative answers, but asking would make them realise they can't just fob you off with wishy washy marketing replies.
    "Danger" could be my middle name … but it's "John"

  11. #11
    Metal Head emzy1985's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Our AR group have held demos against unilever many many times. They also require a large police presense which means they have something to hide. I do not buy any of their products including food which is dietry vegan. Good for them if they are working to end animal testing but they are certainly not "my friends at Unilever" until none of their products are tested on animals and are all vegan.
    The taste of anything in my mouth for 5 seconds does not equate to the beauty and complexity of life.

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    As far as I am aware Dove contains animal derivatives anyway (bovine), so I doubt they give a damn about animal suffering.

  13. #13
    told me to Mr Flibble's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Quote snufkin View Post
    - Unilever currently spends approximately $4 million per year globally
    to develop novel risk assessment approaches to assure safety without
    animal testing, such as the development of biological and computer-based
    modeling techniques. We believe these technologies will help replace
    animal testing altogether.
    Quote ellaminowpea
    Wow I didn't know they were doing so much work on eliminating animal testing! It's great that they replied and let you know about what they're doing. I think this is a great step. The next part is working on the government laws around testing.
    bollocks

    Unilever had (according to wikipedia) a revenue of 62,000 million in 2005.

    That's 0.006% that they spend on researching non animal testing techniques.

    To put it into perspective further: in 1999 their estimated spend on advertising was 3,700 million - 92500% more than on the research. In 2002 that was over 4,000 million (link) or 100000% more.

    If they really cared (i.e. more than the cost of a few adverts during football matches) and weren't just doing it for PR then they'd spend a lot more than 4 million.

    I can't see my 9 year boycott of unilever ending any time soon.

  14. #14
    humansituation's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    I boycott all Unilever products (having found much nicer alternatives to marmite) this wasn't because of animal testing as I only buy vegan soap/shampoo etc but because they purchase unsustainable palm oil from Indonesian rainforest for use in Dove products. This has led to a very real threat of Urang utans becoming extinct in the wild. I think that's a good a reason as any to totally boycott this brand. I hate multinational companies that put profit above people, animals or the environment.

  15. #15
    humansituation's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    I'm sure you can search for more detailed information

  16. #16
    humansituation's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever


  17. #17
    told me to Mr Flibble's Avatar
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    Default Re: Response from Dove/Unilever

    Did you find it in the post you made 2 minutes before?

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