Leaping Bunny FAQs
Your questions about the Leaping Bunny answered
Our vision is to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals. The Leaping Bunny programme is one of the ways we are making this vision a reality, allowing caring shoppers like you to identify cruelty free consumer products.
What is the Leaping Bunny programme?
Leaping Bunny brands are part of our international cruelty free programme, symbolised by the iconic Leaping Bunny logo which the approved brands display on their website and usually their products. The Leaping Bunny logo provides shoppers with the best assurance that products stand up to the gold standard for cruelty free.
Leaping Bunny brands have to work hard to achieve and maintain their cruelty free status:
- Leaping Bunny for cosmetics (and personal care) products
- Leaping Bunny for household and cleaning products
Questions about the Leaping Bunny criteria
What criteria does a brand need to meet to become Leaping Bunny approved?
To become Leaping Bunny approved, brands must:
- Commit to a thorough examination of their supply chain for animal testing - that means not only their finished products but also the raw materials and ingredients these products are made up of.
- Implement a fixed cut-off date.
- Actively monitor their supply chains on an ongoing basis and maintain up-to-date records to evidence this.
- Agree to ongoing independent audits to ensure their continued compliance with Leaping Bunny criteria.
What is a fixed cut-off date?
A brand’s fixed cut-off date is a date after which they adhere to the strict Leaping Bunny criteria. A fixed cut-off date requires a company to enforce its animal testing policy and gives suppliers a practical way to move away from animal testing.
Why is a fixed cut-off date confidential?
All approved brands must set a fixed cut-off date, regardless of whether or not they or their suppliers have ever animal tested in the past. We do not share the fixed cut-off date of any brand as this is an internal marker for them to monitor suppliers by, not an external indicator of previous animal testing. Brands that are Leaping Bunny approved for cosmetics and are headquartered or operating within the EU, cannot use a fixed cut-off date later than 11th March 2013, in step with the date that the full package of EU animal testing regulations for cosmetics came into force.
Questions about finding Leaping Bunny approved products
Where can I find Leaping Bunny approved products?
You can find Leaping Bunny products in stores and online. You can also locate products via our product search page.
How can I check which products are Leaping Bunny approved?
The most accurate place to check if a product is Leaping Bunny certified is on our product search page. You can also look out for the Leaping Bunny logo on products, packaging and on the website of the approved brand.
Questions about brands
I cannot find a particular brand on your website, are they certified?
If your favourite brand is not on our product search page then that particular company is not Leaping Bunny approved. We would always encourage you to contact brands directly to tell them you would like them to be!
I have noticed a brand using the Leaping Bunny logo and do not believe it is on your list, what should I do?
Unfortunately, some companies attempt to use the Leaping Bunny logo without approval. We recommend that shoppers check our website for the most current information about approved brands. Please let us know if you suspect a brand is using the logo without permission.
A brand has publicly stated that they have submitted an application for Leaping Bunny approval or says that it operates in line with the Leaping Bunny. Can I use their products?
Such claims may be potentially misleading or even untrue, so we recommend that shoppers only purchase products from fully approved brands which will be listed in our search page.
Why do you approve brands when their parent companies are not?
Like you, we want animal suffering to end. We see it as part of our mission to spread our message as widely as possible. Leaping Bunny approval is dependent on a brand being able to demonstrate that it meets our criteria for cruelty free products. Corporate ownership alone does not affect eligibility. If a brand meets the strict Leaping Bunny criteria, it can apply for approval.
In globalised markets, it is inevitable that Leaping Bunny brands may be bought by larger corporations which may not hold Leaping Bunny approval. We understand that this may change how some shoppers view a brand’s ethical status, so we do indicate when a Leaping Bunny brand has a non-approved parent company to enable you to make informed choices.
Questions about products
What products can be Leaping Bunny approved?
A brand must include all of its eligible own brand cosmetics (and personal care) products or household and cleaning products to achieve approval. Search our online list.
Can I find vegetarian or vegan products on your website?
Yes, to assist shoppers looking for vegetarian or vegan cruelty free products, we ask our brands to let us know which of their products qualify and have included a refined search option on our website.
Questions about labelling
Do all Leaping Bunny brands display the logo on their products?
We encourage all approved brands to use the Leaping Bunny logo on their packaging to make it easier for shoppers to identify cruelty free products. Some may choose not to display the logo - sometimes it may not be practical to fit the logo on packaging, and sometimes a brand may have existing packaging that is yet to run out. However, if a brand is listed on our website, all of its eligible products are approved, even if they do not display the logo.
I have seen ‘not tested on animals’ or 'against animal testing' labels on products, how can I be sure they meet the best cruelty free criteria?
Leaping Bunny is the globally recognisable gold standard for cruelty free cosmetics, personal care and household products. It is the only internationally recognisable programme that requires a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by a brand, supply chain checking for animal testing right down to ingredient manufacturer level, adherence to a fixed cut-off date policy and acceptance of ongoing independent audits to ensure compliance.
It is the best assurance a consumer can get that a brand is doing everything it can to be cruelty free.
Why is a ‘rolling rule’ or ‘supplier specific boycott’ policy ineffective?
Some companies adopt a rolling rule approach (for example a five-year rolling rule) and will not use ingredients that have been animal tested within that specified timeframe. However, the company could then use those same ingredients once that time has elapsed, limiting the incentive for suppliers to develop alternative test methods and not test again in the future.
Brands that operate the supplier specific boycott can use ingredients that are tested on animals tomorrow, providing the supplier then agrees not to test in the future. Without a fixed cut-off date, no line is drawn and animal testing within the industry may continue indefinitely. Furthermore, without monitoring the entire supply chain, there is no assurance that substances have not been animal tested at an earlier stage.
I cannot find an answer to my question here, can I contact you?
Yes! Should you be unable to find an answer to your question, or have further questions, we are always happy to help. You can find all details on our contact us page.
