The short answer: No, Colgate is not cruelty free.
The long answer: Colgate is owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, an American multinational consumer products company. The company manufactures and distributes health care, personal care, household, and veterinary products. One of its earliest products is Colgate, a toothpaste that was originally sold in jars as early as 1873. At present, Colgate sells oral hygiene products ranging from toothbrushes to mouthwashes.
On their company website, Colgate-Palmolive reveals their policy on animal testing:
“We are committed to work toward the elimination of laboratory safety testing using animals.
In 1999, we declared a voluntary moratorium on all animal testing of our adult Personal Care Products and the ingredients used in these products. This moratorium remains in effect worldwide.
Currently, over 99 percent of internal requests for safety assessment of our products are addressed by using available databases and non-animal alternatives.
Animal testing is only conducted where specifically required by regulatory agencies or where alternative testing methods are unavailable to ensure the safety of our products. In such limited instances, the tests are conducted only at contract testing facilities that meet both government standards and the more rigorous requirements established by Colgate with input from animal welfare groups.”
PETA considers Colgate-Palmolive as a company “working toward regulatory changes to reduce the number of animals used for testing.” However, it is important to note that Colgate is being sold in mainland China. This country is known for testing imported health care products on animals before and possibly even after they have been proven safe for human use. Until China changes its import laws or Colgate refuses to sell its products in China, they cannot be considered 100% cruelty free.
Discover which brands are cruelty free by exploring our growing list.
References:
Beauty Without Bunnies: Colgate-Palmolive
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