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Is Simple Cruelty-Free in 2021?
Technically Simple are cruelty-free. They don’t test any products on animals and they currently don’t sell any products in China, or other markets that require animal testing in either pre or post production.
However… They do seem to have plans to launch in China – even though they claim to will do so without animal testing involvement – and their parent company have history for this.
UPDATE: Whilst we cannot now claim that countries involved in selling products in China can be cruelty-free, China’s animal testing policy is no longer as black and white is it seemed and companies CAN sell in China without animal testing.
Simple’s Ethical Policies Summed Up
- Right now Simple are cruelty-free
- No Simple don’t sell in China (but they have plans to)
- No Simple aren’t vegan
- Or palm-oil free
- And are owned by Unilever
Does Simple Sell Products in China?
As of right now Simple does not sell products in China.
However there are concerns over its upcoming expansion where they are planning on moving into new markets.
If it does launch in China – as of right now – they will be at risk of post-market testing, which makes Simple complicit. And its parent company has form for this.
What is Simple’s Official Stance on Animal Testing?
So Simple don’t test its products on animals as of February 2021. The worry is that they geographic expansion involves diversifying into markets that require animal testing.
Simple is kind to skin and to animals too. We do not test our products on animals. We believe products that are safe for humans can be developed using non-animal approaches. As a Kind to Skin brand, born in Europe, we are very proud Europe has been ahead of its time for many years and banned animal testing completely since 2013.
Now that we have started expanding the brand geographically outside Europe, we are supporting a Global ban on animal testing everywhere we deploy our brand.”
— Simple Skincare’s Animal Testing Policy
Is Simple Vegan?
No Simple aren’t entirely vegan as a select few of its products contain beeswax.
They claim that all future Simple products are being designed with vegan consumers in mind and animal-derived ingredients will not be used.
Who is Simple’s Parent Company?
Simple is owned by Unilever, a British multinational consumer goods company who own a plethora of household names like Dove, Ben & Jerry’s and Persil.
Does Unilever Test on Animals? Are they Cruelty-Free?
Whilst Unilever have a small number of cruelty-free brands on their roster, it does test on animals – or are at least complicit in animal testing – as Unilever sell in multiple markets where animal testing is required by law.
Occasionally, across Unilever’s broader portfolio of brands, ingredients that we use still have to be tested by suppliers to comply with legal and regulatory requirements in some markets; and some government authorities test certain products on animals as part of their regulations.
We are recognised by PETA as a ‘company working for regulatory change’ for the work we have been doing for more than 30 years to secure the adoption of non-animal approaches.”
– UNILEVER’s Animal Testing Policy
Essentially Unilever say it complies with legal and regulatory requirements in order to condone animal testing.
But that it is happy to sell in markets where animal testing is either required by law or could happen in post market testing where you have no control.
Simple Cruelty-Free FAQs
Simple is certified cruelty-free by PETA but they aren’t Leaping Bunny certified.
No Simple isn’t Leaping Bunny certified. The only area of concern we have with Simple is its lack of transparency about future plans of expansion and which markets they will be heading in to.
Which we believe is why they aren’t Leaping Bunny certified.
Yes Simple Skincare is vegetarian. It uses beeswax in some of their products so can’t be considered vegan, but we can’t find any instances of it using cholestrol or other animal-fat derived substances anywhere.
Simple do use palm oil, but it claims that Unilever are committed to sourcing all agricultural products sustainably.
So it does use palm oil in products – albeit sustainable.
Simple don’t entirely use all-natural, organic products as it also focuses on efficacy, utilising synthetic products to do so.
Although the overwhelming majority of Simple’s products are paraben-free, it isn’t a completely paraben-free brand.
Yes – the packaging is both recyclable and made from recycled materials
