Many times we have seen the cruelty free seal, that is, free from animal cruelty, which is usually the silhouette of a rabbit, but for some time now there has also been another seal that is that of a vegan product. Not, they are not the same. They are quite different stamps, since one refers to whether it is tested on animals and the other to the ingredients.
It is normal to confuse both certificates, so much so that many brands play with this misinformation and use some specific expressions that make you believe that they are the same, but they are not. It is also true that many products, especially cosmetics, have both certifications (whether they show it or not).
Then there is the debate that a multinational tests on animals and in turn has products with the seal of vegan or cruelty-free. That responsibility falls on the certifying company.
How do you get the cruelty free and vegan product certificates?
Getting these certificates is not easy, nor is it free. That's why there are small companies that comply with both, but can't show it on their packaging.
To begin with, there are different organizations in charge of inspection, audits (sometimes several simultaneous and independent audits), examinations, and so on. Among the most recognized are PETA (includes Cruelty Free and Vegan and Cruelty Free), I protect you, Bioinspecta, Leaping bunny (Cruelty Free International) and Choose Cruelty Free (CCF).
Of all these, the organization that has the best reputation and has the strictest standards is Cruelty Free International, better known as Leaping Bunny. On the other hand, PETA is also recognized worldwide and its acronym refers to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Then there are the organizations that attest that the product is vegan: V-Label, Vegan, enganOk, VBev Veg, Vegan.org, Vegetarian Society, SB Vegan Product and PETA Cruelty Free and Vegan.
To achieve these seals, the company and the regulatory organization They must control the whole process. and the organization will determine whether or not there is use of animals, either in testing or in ingredients. Regarding the final score value, you will be awarded one of the stamps, both or neither.
Some organizations may allow some ingredients to be of animal origin and that animal had to die, so there are different organizations and each one with its rules and requirements.
The seals are renewed every year and in some cases a statement must be signed in which the company verifies that it does not test on animals or order samples tested on living beings, nor pay for tests of ingredients, formulations or products that have been tested on animals.
There is some controversy, since many cosmetic brands have some of these seals on some of their products, however, on other products they do test on animals. The clearest example was L'Oreal with The Body Shop, so much so that CCF requires that all products from the entire company be free of animal cruelty or they do not obtain the certificate.
They are not the same
There are those who see it logical that, if it is not tested on animals, ingredients of animal origin are not used either, but the reality is quite different. They are two different concepts and rarely go hand in hand, when it should be the usual norm.
What is cruelty-free?
It is a certificate that ensures that this product has not been tested on animals at any time during the manufacturing process, that is, neither the final product nor its ingredients. That does not mean that its ingredients are of animal origin (which is why it should not be confused with vegan).
This is where the different organizations that we have mentioned before come in. Those stamps are only awarded if the product has not been tested on animals for at least a year (including individual ingredients).
We must also clarify that products tested on animals cannot be marketed in Europe, whether or not they have the seal, nor are products from countries where they are tested allowed to enter, as stated in the Rules of the European Parliament, specifically in chapter V.
What does it mean that a product has the vegan seal?
We should not confuse it with the above, since vegan means that this cosmetic or product does not contain ingredients of animal origin, not even additives or dyes.
There is little chance that a cosmetic or similar is vegan and has been tested on animals, it is true, but there it already depends on the requirements of each organization when carrying out their audits.
What we must be clear about is that Vegan is not synonymous with Cruelty Free, since they are two different organizations, with different procedures and certificates that are not usually issued jointly.
It is also true that PETA has two Cruelty Free and Cruelty Free and Vegan seals, and it occurs in Europe, but very few brands are the beneficiaries.
Differences between both stamps
NGO I protect you
The main differences between both certifications lie in the process, that is, if some of the ingredients are tested or of animal origin, you will not obtain either of the two certifications.
Also, regarding cruelty free, some organizations allow ingredients to be of animal origin, while this would not grant you a vegan certificate.
The differences are subtle, and depend on the requirements of each certifying organization. The important thing is not to confuse the certifications, since one refers to cruelty in animal testing and the other to whether the ingredients are of animal origin or not.
They should never be used as synonyms., nor let us get carried away by an icon of a bunny. They must be legal stamps, especially if they are large multinationals that are taking advantage of the wave of veganism to sell supposedly vegan or cruelty-free products without certification.
The right thing to do is to make sure to buy cosmetics that have not been tested on animals, with the unnecessary suffering and abuse that this entails and if, in addition, we can avoid the use of ingredients of animal origin, so much the better.