Becoming endorsed in the Compassionate Shopping Guide is easy – find out how to apply

15th April 2024

Ever wondered what it takes to be endorsed by Naturewatch Foundation in the Compassionate Shopping Guide? If you’re a cruelty-free company that produces cosmetic, personal care or household products, you could be eligible to join us.

In this blog, we walk you through our endorsement criteria and how to apply.

Do you have a Fixed Cut Off Date (FCOD) animal testing policy? We know… unless you’re familiar with FCODs, you’re probably wondering, “What on earth is that?” In essence, it means that a company will not use any ingredients in their products that have been tested on animals after that chosen date. If you don’t have an FCOD yet and want to find out more about exactly what it is, check out our Company Pack [link]. It even tells you how to put one in place. If you do have one, that’s great – you’re part way there already.

Do all of your products avoid animal testing? Sometimes companies have an animal testing policy in place for their cosmetics or household products, but they may also sell pharmaceutical or medicinal products, which are typically tested on animals and so do not come under their FCOD. We cannot endorse brands that sell any product types that are tested on animals, but if that doesn’t apply to you, well done! You’re half way there. 

Do you avoid markets where animal testing is still mandatory? Unfortunately, cosmetic products may still be tested on animals to be sold into certain markets, such as in bricks and mortar stores in mainland China. There are certain exemptions that companies can follow to avoid animal testing when selling cosmetic and personal care products in China, but they don’t apply to all product types. If you sell in China, we’ll ask you to let us know how you avoid animal testing.

Finally, are your parent and sister companies cruelty-free, too? If your brand is owned by a parent company, or has sister companies, we also ask for assurances that they’re cruelty-free, too. This is what makes our guide different. We don’t endorse brands with links to animal testing through their corporate group.  

To recap, then, these are the four key things we look for when we’re endorsing cruelty-free brands:

1. A fixed cut-off date;
2. All your products are cruelty-free;
3. You don’t sell in markets where animal testing is mandatory;
4. If applicable, your parent and sister companies are cruelty-free, too.

If you already meet our criteria, we’d love you to join us and, best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing. Start your application today.

If you’re not quite there yet, don’t worry – we can help. Check out our Company Pack to learn more about our criteria or get in touch with us at compassionateshopping@naturewatch.org for more information.