Victoria has a new little secret: She's no "angel" for animals. After years of upholding its policy never to test on animals, the company has let down compassionate consumers everywhere by choosing profits over principles. Victoria's Secret has confirmed to PETA that it will begin selling in China—and that means it will be required to pay for cruel and archaic tests on animals. Although the company, owned by L Brands, Inc., fully understands the Chinese government's requirements for tests on animals for cosmetics, it has chosen to enter this market anyway. Victoria's Secret has been removed from PETA's list of companies that don't test on animals and has been placed on our list of companies that do test on animals. (However, L Brands' other companies, including Bath & Body Works, Henri Bendel, and La Senza, are not expanding into China and remain committed to their cruelty-free policies.)
Since PETA first exposed that some formerly cruelty-free companies were paying for tests on animals in order to sell their products in China, tens of thousands of compassionate consumers have spoken out and expressed their outrage. Fortunately, PETA has received pledges from a number of companies—including The Body Shop, Urban Decay, NYX Cosmetics, Yes To Inc., Jack Black, Paula's Choice, 100% Pure, Jane Iredale, and others—that they will never sell in China while animal tests are required. We've also worked to convince companies selling in China to withdraw from that market until tests on animals are no longer required. These companies include John Paul Mitchell Systems, Dermalogica, Pangea Organics, Nature's Gate, Juice Beauty, and LOGOCOS Naturkosmetik AG.
Please tell Victoria's Secret that cruelty isn't sexy and that you won't buy its products until the company is 100 percent cruelty-free again.