WASHINGTON (December 7, 2020)—MOM’s Organic Market has become the most recent company to support the Humane Cosmetics Act, a piece of federal legislation to end the production and sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the United States. The legislation would, with certain exceptions, end all animal testing for cosmetics products and ingredients in the United States and prohibit the import of cosmetics that have been tested on animals anywhere in the world.
The family owned and operated organic grocery store chain operates 20 locations in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
“It is unbelievable that it’s nearly 2021 and the cosmetic’s industry is still in the dark ages. This common sense legislation needs to pass,” said Steve Geest, vice president of Wellness and Data for MOM’s Organic Market. “At MOM’s, we’ve supported legislation to end animal cruelty for as long as I have been a part of this company. MOM’s is glad to work with HSUS and HSLF to back this bill and hopefully end the cruel and unnecessary tests done to animals for the sake of cosmetics. It is time for Congress act!”
“This endorsement represents another milestone in our work to secure corporate support to end cosmetic animal testing in the United States,” said Vicki Katrinak, director of Animal Research and Testing at the Humane Society of the United States. “By joining our efforts, MOM’s Organic Market has taken our country one step closer to replacing experiments on animals with innovative and more human relevant test methods – something that helps both animals and consumers.”
“The Humane Cosmetics Act is important to help end the cruel and unnecessary use of animals in cosmetic testing,” said Tracie Letterman, vice president of Federal Affairs at the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “The endorsement from MOM’s illustrates the continued unprecedented industry support for this common sense legislation that will end needless suffering for animals and encourage companies to use far superior non-animal testing methods.”
Momentum for passing the Humane Cosmetics Act continues to grow, with some of the strongest support coming from the industry that makes and markets these products. Over 300 independent companies now officially endorse the Humane Cosmetics Act, in addition to nearly 600 member companies of the Personal Care Products Council, which also supports the bill.
In addition to this federal legislation, three U.S. states have already moved to end cosmetics testing in recent years. Cosmetics companies must now comply with laws in California, Nevada and Illinois, which ban the sale of cosmetics newly tested on animals. Similar legislation to do the same has also been considered in New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.
Every year rabbits, rats, mice and guinea pigs endure excruciating tests, such as having substances forced down their throats, dripped into their eyes or smeared onto their skin without any pain relief before they are killed.
There are thousands of ingredients that have a history of safe use and non-animal test methods that provide safety information more relevant to humans.
Background
- The Humane Cosmetics Act was introduced by Sens. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Reps. Don Beyer, D-Va., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and Ken Calvert, R-Calif.
- Laws prohibiting or limiting cosmetics testing on animals have been enacted in 40 countries, including the members of the European Union, Australia, Guatemala, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Turkey due in part to work by Humane Society International and its global partners.
Media contact:
Emily Ehrhorn: 202.779.1814, eehrhorn@humanesociety.org
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Founded in 1987, MOM's has grown to become the Mid-Atlantic region’s premier chain of family-owned and operated organic grocery stores. MOM's Purpose is to protect and restore the environment.
The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at hslf.org/blog, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.
Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliates around the globe fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, the HSUS takes on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries, and together with its affiliates, rescues and provides direct care for over 100,000 animals every year. The HSUS works on reforming corporate policy, improving and enforcing laws and elevating public awareness on animal issues. More at humanesociety.org.
Subscribe to Kitty Block’s blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast.
