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Protect Turtles and Dugongs from Cruelty in QLDChickenfeed cosmetics chop
22 June 2010
POPULAR beauty products will be removed from the shelves of discount chain Chickenfeed.
Millionaire animal rights activist and Chickenfeed owner Jan Cameron will make the move after revelations the products are tested on animals.
A shocked Ms Cameron said she had stopped stocking battery-farm eggs and bacon from intensively farmed pigs at Chickenfeed when she bought it last year but had never considered looking into the cosmetics.
The revelation comes a day after Ms Cameron, who lives at Bicheno on the state's East Coast, revealed she would give $5 million to help expose animal cruelty at intensive farming operations.
The Kathmandu founder will use the money to set up the Animal Justice fund, to pay bounties to encourage insiders to dob in farmers involved in cruel practices at poultry or pig operations.
Ms Cameron said she would immediately make moves to discontinue the sale of any products tested on animals, following inquiries from the Mercury yesterday.
"It is an oversight on my part, I guess, because I don't really use cosmetics myself so it didn't occur to me to check," she said.
Ms Cameron said she was shocked to realise Chickenfeed was stocking products made by multinational companies subject to international boycotts because of their animal testing.
"I will make moves to have them deleted from our product range," she said.
The move is set to affect many well-known beauty products such as Dove, Garnier, Olay and Head and Shoulders.
The products are all made by companies listed on international organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' name-and-shame list for testing on animals.
New RSPCA Tasmania head Karen Vanderpols commended Ms Cameron for her swift action and called for other retailers to follow suit.
"Jan's been an incredible leader in animal protection over the year, she's contributed so much and she's doing it again," Ms Vanderpols said.
"It would be really fantastic if other retailers could be as mindful and meet the demand of consumers who are increasingly informed in their product knowledge.
"You only have to look at the popularity of free-range eggs over caged eggs these days to recognise that the consumer has wised up. We just need more business
owners to wise up, too."
Ms Cameron, who is believed to be worth more than $318 million, sold her stake in Kathmandu in 2006 for $247 million.
She has bought 20 properties in Tasmania since 2000.
By Danielle McKay, The Mercury
37 O’Connell St,
North Melbourne
Victoria 3051, Australia
Ph: (+61) 03 9329 6333
Fax: (+61) 03 9329 6441
Freecall: 1800 888 584
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