Is Gain Cruelty-Free and Vegan?

Gain started in 1969 with its stain-removing detergent. Today, it is owned by P&G, a company that tests on animals. Gain is the 8th best-selling brand under P&G.

It makes products such as scented laundry detergents, dish detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and more.

Since Gain is now under P&G, a brand known for operating in the red zone of leading cruelty-free certification organizations such as PETA, many of our readers would like to know if it sells in China or if it’s just like its parent company.

In this article, we’ll see if it truly is cruelty-free, and if it’s not, we’ll see why.

Is Gain Cruelty-Free?

For a brand to make personal care, cleaning, and beauty products that are cruelty-free, it must meet some manufacturing and marketing principles. These are summarized in our three-criterion checklist, as follows:

• It must not test its ingredients, formulations, products, and byproducts on animals.
• It must not fund third-party organizations to do the above.
• It must not sell in countries that require animal testing for foreign companies.

Considering the above, Gain cannot be said to be cruelty-free, as it fails to comply with at least two of the principles listed above.

First, Gain not only sells in mainland China. It also tests the products on animals to fulfill the requirement for operating in the company.

However, the company says it doesn’t test on animals unless it is required to do so by the law or the authorities.

Are Gain Products Tested On Animals?

Gain products are tested on animals. One of the research methods that Gain and China use to certify the safety and potency of its products is through animal testing.

The brand confirms this in its animal testing policy on its website.

Also, its parent company has the same animal testing policy, saying it only tests on animals when the law of the countries they are operating in requires it.

Regardless of the fact that the brand does the testing because it is required to do so, Gain remains a non-cruelty-free company that tests on animals.

Do They Test On Animals When Required By Law?

Gain tests on animals when the law requires this. Gain also distributes and sells its products in mainland China and adheres to the country’s pro-testing regulations.

Are Gain Products Sold In China?

Yes, Gain sells its products in mainland China. All laundry and skincare products sold in the Chinese market are usually subject to testing on animals.

Although China recently stopped animal testing by default for some products, it requires this for products that receive complaints of negative dermatological reactions from the public.

However, China’s animal testing law doesn’t apply to brands that conduct cross-border shipping without a physical presence in the country.

Does Gain Have Cruelty-Free Certifications?

Gain has no cruelty-free certifications. Also, it is not approved as cruelty-free by certification organizations like Cruelty-Free International (CFI), PETA, and Leaping Bunny due to the reasons stated above.

Is Gain Owned By Another Company?

Gain is owned by P&G. Although P&G claims it is partnering with PETA, P&G still tests on animals when it is “required”. Both Gain and P&G sell in the Chinese market.

Are Gain Products Vegan?

Gain is not completely vegan, but it offers a lot of products that don’t contain animal ingredients or derivatives.

While many of Gain’s products contain animal ingredients, such as fatty acid, it doesn’t have a catalog for vegan products.

However, here are a few vegan detergents and other cleaning agents from Gain that contain no animal-derived ingredients:

• Gain Liquid Detergent with Original Scent, 32 Loads, 50-Ounce
• Gain Fireworks Laundry Scent Booster Beads, Wildflower & Waterfall
• Gain Dryer Sheets, Moonlight Breeze, 200 Sheets
• Gain Botanicals Orange Blossom & Vanilla Liquid Fabric Softener
• Ultra Gain Powdered Detergent-Original, Procter & Gamble
• Gain Flings Original Laundry Detergent Pacs

Summary

Gain is not a cruelty-free brand. Although it has vegan products, some of its products contain fatty acids, which may have been sourced from the slaughterhouse.

They are, therefore, not vegan. Gain runs tests on animals with their products when required by law.

Also, Gain distributes and sells in mainland China, a country where animal testing is required for foreign brands that deal in beauty and cleaning products.

Finally, Gain is owned by P&G, a parent company that is known for testing on animals.