Quick Answer: Is Bath & Body Works Cruelty-Free and Vegan?
No, Bath & Body Works is not cruelty-free and is not 100% vegan. The brand is not purely vegan based on the fact that most of their products are manufactured using ingredients of animal origin or animal by-products. The company claims that their products are cruelty-free, but they use animals to test their products and ingredients.
Bath & Body Works is a retail company with its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. It specializes in the manufacturing of products such as lotions, perfumes, shower gels, soaps, and creams.
It has a parent company known as L. Brands.
The majority of our readers have asked if Bath & Body Works is cruelty-free and vegan. We have analyzed the brand and its products in detail. These are some points to note.
Is Bath & Body Works Cruelty-Free?
We checked out the different criteria that make a product cruelty-free. Let’s take a look at them to determine if Bath & Body Works falters in any way.
For a product to be cruelty-free, it must comply with the following:
- The products should not be tested on animals during or after production.
- The products should not be tested on animals regardless of what the law demands/requires of them.
- Manufactured products should not be sold within China.
Are Bath & Body Works Products Tested On Animals?
Bath & Body Works is not very clear about testing on animals based on research carried out.
Their online statement regarding animal policy indicates that they may not do direct animal testing, but it is not entirely clear if they allow third parties or other government agencies to carry out such tests with their product lines.
Bath & Body Works tests their products before and after production. Research has shown that most of their products contain derivatives of animal origin, but they have not admitted this to the public.
Do They Test Animals When Required By Law?
Statements made by parent company L. Brands regarding conditions that allow testing indicate that, where the law demands it, they have no choice but to allow the testing to be carried out on animals using their products.
This tells us that they are not actually cruelty-free.
Are Bath & Body Works Products Sold In China?
Yes, Bath & Body Works products are sold in China. Products supplied to the Chinese markets are subjected to tests and government regulators can take the products and do with it as they please.
In 2019, Bath & Body Works collaborated with China for pilot sales of their product, which would allow the Chinese government‘s requirement to test products using animals. Based on animal testing, the brand cannot confidently be considered cruelty-free.
Does Bath & Body Works Have Cruelty-Free Certifications?
Bath & Body Works is not approved by Leaping Bunny. PETA, another certification body, removed the company from its list of companies that manufacture 100% vegan products.
Is Bath & Body Works Owned By Another Company?
This company is owned by a parent company known as L. Brands, but as of February 2020, they decided to make it a stand-alone company.
Is Bath & Body Works Vegan?
A product is vegan when the ingredients used to manufacture it are not derived from animals or their by-products. They are always cruelty-free.
We will analyze its products based on that definition, because it is possible that some products may be vegan while some are not.
Bath & Body Works has made it difficult to differentiate between purely vegan and non-vegan products because ingredients used for their production are not stated on the labels of products.
Bath & Body Works is not 100% vegan, because they use animal products as ingredients in most of their products.
The majority of their products did not have a list of ingredients attached to them, making it difficult to identify the vegan products. The products include shower gels, hand soaps, body creams, and others
Summary
Bath & Body Works is best known for its varieties of bath and personal care products. They strive hard to keep their products on the market.
These products are appreciated by most customers, but many vegans prefer products not composed of animals or their by-products because they respect the rights of animals.
