Responding to concerns expressed by animal welfare groups to news that the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) are in discussions with the USA based multinational corporation Procter & Gamble as a potential sponsor of the London Olympic Games, London Assembly Member Darren Johnson has tabled a formal question to the Mayor of London at the next Mayor’s Question Time in July 2010 (1).
Darren Johnson said:
"In the United States Procter & Gamble (P&G) continue to conduct animal testing for cosmetics and household products, even though these have been phased out across the EU. Such unethical practices make it completely inappropriate as a London 2012 sponsor and I am calling on the Mayor to oppose P&G as an Olympic sponsor, unless they agree to end animal testing."
Notes to editor:
(1) Darren Johnson has tabled a formal question to the Mayor of London at the next Mayor’s Question Time in July 2010, below:
Given Proctor & Gamble’s continued use of animal testing for cosmetics and household products in the United States, in spite of such practices being banned in the UK and across the EU, can P&G really be considered a suitable sponsor for London 2012 and will you make clear your opposition to any such move?
According to an RSPCA information paper – The testing of cosmetics using animals, ‘The use of animals to test cosmetics or their ingredients is now banned in the European Union. By 2013, it will also be illegal to sell in the EU any cosmetics tested on animals elsewhere in the world.’ http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232711398791&mode=prd