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If you’re wondering, “Is The Body Shop cruelty-free?” you’ve come to the right place. At Conscious Bunny, we’re dedicated to providing thorough and reliable information about various brands.
We research whether The Body Shop is cruelty-free, vegan, clean, and conscious. Additionally, we examine if a brand is sustainable, contributes to the community, and considers allergens in its products.
The world of cruelty-free, vegan, and clean beauty can be complex. With so many unregulated terms and labels, it can be challenging to know what to trust.
Our mission is to make it easier for you by providing clear, fact-based insights. We delve into the details so you can make informed choices with confidence.
By relying on our comprehensive research, you can be sure you’re supporting brands aligning with your values. We believe in transparency and aim to empower you with the knowledge you need to choose products that are genuinely cruelty-free and conscious.
Is The Body Shop Cruelty-Free?
Yes, The Body Shop is cruelty-free. They don’t test their finished products or ingredients on animals, and neither do their suppliers or any third-parties.
Is The Body Shop Owned By A Cruelty-Free Parent Company?
The Body Shop is not owned by a parent company that tests on animals.
In the beauty industry, brands are often owned by larger parent companies like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, or Procter & Gamble, many of which conduct animal testing to some extent.
While most parent companies are not cruelty-free, some of the brands they own adhere to strict policies against animal testing. This means that brands under these parent companies are still cruelty-free.
However, this gives you as a consumer two choices: You can choose not to support these brands because they’re part of a bigger, animal-testing parent company, or you can choose to support them because they are 100% cruelty-free even though their parent company is not.
We personally believe that since these brands operate independently from the parent company, you can support them as they’re cruelty-free. However, a small group of shoppers choose to boycott brands owned by a parent company that tests on animals.
We don’t mind which option you choose; we want to make it easy for all our readers. That’s why we decided to mention whether or not a parent company is involved.
Is The Body Shop Cruelty-Free Certified?
Yes, The Body Shop is certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA.
Companies can be fully cruelty-free without being certified, but certifications are a good indicator of their ethical practices. The most trusted organizations that give out certifications are PETA and Leaping Bunny.
Is The Body Shop Sold Where Animal Testing Is Required By Law?
The Body Shop is not sold in China or any other countries where animal testing is required by law.
In countries like China, certain cosmetic products may be subject to mandatory animal testing regulations. If a brand wants to sell its products in physical stores in China, it has to comply with these regulations, where animal testing may occur.
Starting in 2023, brands have the opportunity to enter the Chinese market without funding animal cruelty. However, not every brand may qualify. Certain ingredients, products, and claims may still trigger animal tests during the registration process, and post-market testing involving animals, while rare, is still a possibility.
To avoid animal testing in China, companies must meet specific criteria:
- Sell only ‘general’ cosmetics in China (such as makeup, skincare, haircare, nail polish, and perfumes).
- Avoid selling ‘special’ cosmetics like sunscreens or hair dye.
- Refrain from selling products for infants, children, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, or products containing ‘New Cosmetic Ingredients.’
- Have a policy in place to recall products if post-market testing is required rather than allowing them to be tested on animals.
Furthermore, products can avoid animal testing in China if they are manufactured in China or if their final assembly occurs in China. If manufactured outside of China, companies must obtain the proper safety certificates from their country of origin.
Brands that have been selling in China must ensure that all their products meet the exemption criteria while providing the proper safety certificates from specific authorities. This means that many brands currently sold in China may not yet be entirely cruelty-free.
It’s essential to note that while China is gradually relaxing its animal testing laws, it does not mean that all brands sold in China are now cruelty-free. While this phase may raise questions, brands selling in China no longer have to be an immediate no-no for cruelty-free shoppers.
To provide shoppers with extra assurance, Leaping Bunny offers the China Qualification Program, which you can check before purchasing. This program ensures that Leaping Bunny-certified companies selling domestically in China remain cruelty-free.
Is The Body Shop Vegan?
The Body Shop is 100% vegan, meaning none of its products contain animal-derived ingredients. As of December 2023, The Vegan Society has certified all of The Body Shop’s current product formulas.
However, old, discontinued formulations that have not been certified by The Vegan Society may still be present in the market as they are still being sold through. So before you purchase, check the ingredients list first.
A company can have vegan products even if not all their products are vegan. If all their products are vegan, the brand is considered “100% vegan.”
Several organizations, similar to PETA and Leaping Bunny, offer vegan certifications to help you identify vegan brands. For example, Vegan Action, The Vegan Society, and The Vegetarian Society provide a Vegan Trademark to companies that use no animal-derived ingredients.
Check out our 100% Vegan Beauty Brands A-Z list, or use our free Vegan Ingredient Checker to determine whether a specific product contains animal-derived ingredients.
Is The Body Shop Clean?
No, The Body Shop is not a clean beauty brand. Some of their products contain Ethyl acrylate, Ethyl methacrylate, Methyl methacrylate, Aluminum chlorohydrate, Tar, Imidazolidinyl urea, Methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol, Titanium Dioxide, Styrene, Acetone, Paraffin, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Acrylamide, Retinyl Palmitate, Styrene, Talc, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Cyclomethicone, EDTA, Disodium EDTA, and Tetrasodium EDTA – ingredients that aren’t considered clean.
The term “clean beauty” is controversial because it isn’t regulated; this means that brands can label their products as ‘clean,’ ‘green,’ ‘organic,’ and ‘natural’ without strict guidelines.
For us, clean beauty means choosing products made without ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances that have been shown or even suspected to harm human health, animal health, or the environment.
Check out our Clean Beauty Brands A-Z list, or use our free Clean Ingredients Checker to determine whether a specific product contains toxic ingredients.
Is The Body Shop Fragrance-Free?
No, The Body Shop is not fragrance-free.
Is The Body Shop Paraben-Free?
The Body Shop is not fully paraben-free, but the brand states that 80% of its products are paraben-free.
Is The Body Shop Talc-Free?
No, The Body Shop is not talc-free.
We mention this information because it might be important to some beauty consumers who are concerned about the potential health risks of talc. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to read my in-depth article about talc in makeup.
Is The Body Shop Non-Comedogenic?
Based on the research I did through random sampling, The Body Shop’s products are non-comedogenic. However, I recommend checking the ingredients of the specific product you want to purchase to be sure.
Is The Body Shop Allergy-Safe?
Besides letting you know whether a product contains harmful ingredients, we also understand that living with allergies can be tough. That’s why we discuss whether the brand contains any allergens in its products, helping you make informed decisions that suit your individual needs and preferences.
*The information provided is not medical advice. For any health concerns, please consult with your doctor before using the products.
Is The Body Shop Gluten-Free?
No, The Body Shop is not fully gluten-free. According to the brand, some of The Body Shop’s products contain gluten and wheat-derived materials. They do not analyze their finished products for gluten, so the brand cannot guarantee they are completely gluten-free.
However, the brand does ensure the production lines are thoroughly cleaned between products, so the chances of gluten being found in the products listed on the free-from list are very small. Free-from lists are available upon request.
Is The Body Shop Nut-Free?
No, The Body Shop is not nut-free. Some of their products contain shea butter and Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil.
Is The Body Shop Soy-Free?
No, The Body Shop is not soy-free. Some of their products contain ingredients derived from Soy.
Is The Body Shop Conscious?
At Conscious Bunny, we’re all about supporting brands that do good. We believe that brands who are conscious show this with their actions in environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, social responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
For those of us who care about making conscious choices, we’ve done our homework on these topics. We’ve answered the big questions to help you pick products that match your values.
The Body Shop is conscious. This is based on the following:
Where Is The Body Shop Manufactured?
The Body Shop’s products are manufactured in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe.
Is The Body Shop Sustainable?
Yes, The Body Shop is committed to sustainability. In 2022, The Body Shop developed a global, centrally coordinated Environmental Management System in line with International Standard ISO14001. This system covers their global Operations and Real Estate functions, including stores, distribution centers, and offices.
In 2022, the brand continued to expand in-store refill stations, where customers can fill recyclable aluminum bottles with haircare products, shower gels, or hand washes. This scheme prevented approximately 13.5 tonnes of plastic (578,966 bottles) from becoming waste.
By the end of 2022, the brand had refill stations in 793 stores in 53 countries. Additionally, the brand’s Changemakers’ Workshop stores use more sustainable materials where possible, such as less virgin plastic, certified wood and paper, and fixings that can be broken down at the end of their life.
The brand also prioritizes sustainable ingredient sourcing. For example, 57.5% of their palm oil is physically certified as Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Mass Balance (56%) and RSPO Segregated (1.5%).
The remaining volumes are covered with RSPO smallholder credits and regular credits. With their Community Fair Trade partnership with Plastics for Change in India, the brand helps tackle the plastic pollution crisis and reduce waste plastic.
Through this partnership, 2,000 previously informal waste collectors are paid a fair price for the plastic waste they collect while also enjoying better working conditions and greater social status.
In 2022, the brand purchased 700 tonnes of plastic waste through this initiative to incorporate it into their recycled plastic packaging.
Is The Body Shop Socially Responsible?
Yes, The Body Shop is socially responsible. They are a founding member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, created to improve human rights in global supply chains by developing effective approaches to implementing internationally recognized good labor practices.
They also developed Community Fair Trade, a bespoke fair trade program. Recognizing that many of their Community Fair Trade partners live in rural (low-income) communities with limited economic opportunities and those disproportionately affected by the climate emergency, the brand also helps to fund community projects to improve access to education, healthcare, sanitation, and water conservation facilities.
For example, they’ve sourced Community Fair Trade shea butter from Tungteiya Women’s Association in northern Ghana since 1994. Their long-term partnership is helping to provide women with financial independence and funds to invest in community projects.
They have built schools, healthcare, and water sanitation facilities benefiting their wider community of approximately 49,000 people. Similarly, their shared Human Rights Statement publicly clarifies their zero tolerance of any human rights infringements in their supply chains.
In 2022 the brand ran 20 targeted local campaigns on issues ranging from LGBTQI+ discrimination to devastating floods in Pakistan. Since 2019, The Body Shop has proudly supported Plan International Australia’s Youth Activist Series, a leadership program supporting young people as they become future leaders and change-makers.
Is The Body Shop’s Mica Sourced Ethically?
According to the brand, they have a sustainable sourcing policy for Indian mica. The brand states that their suppliers must demonstrate that they work exclusively in gated mines, which don’t allow children to enter, to prevent child labor.
They also can’t buy mica collected informally. Additionally, their suppliers conduct independent social audits and invest in their communities.
Is The Body Shop B Corp Certified?
The Body Shop is not B Corp Certified. However, a brand can still be conscious without this certification.
When a brand earns B Corp certification, it pledges to consider everyone impacted by its decisions, beyond just its owners. This entails workers, the communities in which they operate, suppliers, consumers, and the environment. This certification can reassure consumers, emphasizing the brand’s dedication to considering the broader impact of its decisions.
Thank You For Being Here!
I hope that this post answered all your questions about The Body Shop. If not, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the contact form. I’m more than happy to help!
Thank you for being here because it means that you are interested in cruelty-free beauty and are educating yourself about this subject. If you’re willing to learn even more, here are some of the resources we provide to help you on your journey: