Animal welfare

1990 - Animal Testing
The Co-op announces that no Co-op Brand toiletries or household products, or their ingredients, have been tested on animals after 1985 - even though the law allowed the practice to continue. The Co-op co-sponsors with the RSPCA a Private Member's Bill to require more informative labelling for products tested on animals.

1994 - Freedom Food
The Co-op supports the development of the RSPCA Freedom Food scheme to improve the welfare standards for animals at all stages of the food chain. This leads to the introduction of a range of Co-op Brand Freedom Food products.

1995 - Egg Labelling
The Co-op is the first retailer to label eggs 'Intensively Produced' a technically illegal step, but one in the consumer's interest. This leads to a change in the law, allowing eggs to be labelled 'From Caged Hens' Co-op egg packs have changed to this wording and several other retailers have followed suit. The move is welcomed by consumers and pressure groups angry with packaging depicting idyllic farmyard scenes and describing battery eggs as 'Farm Fresh' We also identify the source of the eggs used in recipe products.

1996 - Animal Testing
The Co-op launches 'Ending the Pain' a campaign against animal testing in the toiletries industry. This includes backing FRAME, a charity dedicated to finding alternatives to animal tests. A Right to Know leaflet gives customers the animal testing policies of the manufacturers whose products are stocked in Co-op stores.

1999 - Humane Cosmetics Standard
The Co-op is the first grocery retailer to be awarded the right to use the new International Cruelty-Free symbol, developed by leading animal welfare organisations world-wide, including the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection), on its range of Health and Beauty products. The symbol shows that the Co-op fulfils the criteria of the Humane Cosmetics Standard and is an independent endorsement of our strict non-animal testing policies. Co-op Babycare products are the first labels to introduce the symbol, which guarantees that neither the product nor its ingredients have been tested on animals after a fixed cut off date - 1985 in the case of the Co-op Brand.