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Rituals is Cruelty-Free
Rituals has confirmed they do not test their products or ingredients on animals or ask others to test on their behalf. Their suppliers also do not test on animals, nor do they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law. And finally, their products are not sold in stores in mainland China or any other country that may require animal testing.
By our standards, we would consider Rituals to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on Rituals’ website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
Rituals has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
“We have recently opened stores in Hong Kong but we have worked out a solution so that our products are not made in China, and so do not have to be subjected to animal testing. We will continue to stand by these principles and to do what is right for the planet and for animal rights.”
Note that Hong Kong is not part of mainland China. And Hong Kong does not have the same animal testing laws as mainland China.
As of May 1, 2021, some imported ordinary cosmetics can be exempt from animal testing under certain conditions. However, for the most part, animal testing is still legally required for most imported cosmetics in 2022.
Cruelty-Free Policies
Note that there is no legal definition for the label ‘Cruelty-Free.’ It can mean different things to different people. But Cruelty-Free is generally used to imply no animal testing. More specifically, the ingredients, formulation, or finished product are not tested on animals at any stage of product development.
At ethical elephant, we always assess a company’s cruelty-free policy using our Cruelty-Free Checklist. This ensures no animal testing was performed by the brand itself, its suppliers, or any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
Rituals is Not 100% Vegan
‘Vegan’ in cosmetics can refer to an entire brand that is 100% Vegan or a specific product is vegan.
In the case of Rituals, not all of their products are vegan. But they have some products that are suitable for vegans.
How to know which of Rituals products are vegan?
Rituals list some of their non-vegan products on their FAQ page. See statement and lists below.
Vegan Policies
Similar to ‘Cruelty-Free,’ there is no standard or legal definition for the label ‘Vegan.’ But it usually means no animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Some common animal products used in cosmetics include carmine, lanolin, snail mucus, beeswax, honey, pearl or silk-derived ingredients, animal-based glycerin, keratin, and squalene.
There are plant-based and synthetic alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. But it’s sometimes difficult to know with certainty whether a product is vegan just by reading the ingredient list.
So it’s best to ask the company and manufacturers to ensure the ingredients they’ve chosen to use were from non-animal sources.
Where are Rituals’ products made?
I asked Rituals where their products are manufactured and they told me:
“The big majority of our products are manufactured in Germany. When this is not the case, they are manufactured in other places of Europe.”
Ethical Mica Mining Policy
Mica is a mineral that’s used in cosmetics to add a shimmery effect. But the mining of natural mica has been linked to child labor and human rights violations.
Unless the company discloses its mica mining policy, we have no way of knowing whether its mica is ethically sourced without child or forced labor.
So I asked Rituals if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“Regarding the question about Mica, is an ingredient coming from mines in a specific region in India, following strict social and environmental standards.”
I hope this article helped you to understand Rituals’ cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
