New Lawsuit Claims Paula's Choice Skincare Has Been Lying About Cruelty Free Status

Summary

The video discusses allegations against skincare brand Paula's Choice for falsely claiming to be cruelty-free. The lawsuit claims the brand continued to sell in China, where animal testing is required, despite knowing about it and misrepresenting their status. The video also touches on China's evolving testing laws and the brand's history, including its sale to Unilever, and the potential implications for consumers who value cruelty-free products.

Takeaways

• 📢 The video discusses allegations against Paul's Choice brand for false claims related to animal testing.
• 📰 The news is relatively new and all information presented are allegations, not yet proven in court.
• 🚫 Paul's Choice is accused of selling products in China where animal testing is required, despite claiming to be cruelty-free.
• 🔄 The brand has changed ownership twice, with the current owner being Unilever, which is not known for cruelty-free practices.
• 📸 Evidence includes pictures of Paula from Paul's Choice in China, claiming to be cruelty-free while their products were tested on animals.
• 📈 China's cosmetics market is a significant $63 billion industry, making it a lucrative target for international brands.
• 🔄 China's testing laws are complex and frequently changing, with many loopholes that some brands exploit to avoid animal testing.
• 📝 Paul's Choice has a history of claiming to be cruelty-free, including statements on their website and participation in the Leaping Bunny program.
• 🤔 The video creator expresses skepticism about the brand's claims, suggesting that the lawsuit could have more substance than others.
• 📁 The lawsuit provides specific dates and evidence, suggesting a thorough investigation into the brand's practices.
• 💡 The video ends with a call for viewers to share their thoughts on the issue, highlighting the complexity and importance of ethical consumer choices.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is the lawsuit against Paula's Choice brand over allegations of false claims related to animal testing.

Why is Paula's Choice being sued?

Paula's Choice is being sued for allegedly making false claims about being cruelty-free and not testing on animals, despite selling products in China where animal testing is required.

What is the current status of the lawsuit?

As of the video transcript, the lawsuit is still in the allegations stage and has not been proven or decided in court.

Who is currently owning Paula's Choice brand?

Paula's Choice brand is currently owned by Unilever, after being sold twice, first to a venture capitalist firm.

What does the leaping bunny program require from its members?

The leaping bunny program requires its members to commit to eliminating animal testing not only from their company but also from their ingredient suppliers, ensuring the products are 100% free of animal testing.

How has China's testing laws evolved over time?

China's testing laws have been changing and evolving, with frequent updates that sometimes occur on a monthly basis, creating many loopholes for brands to navigate around animal testing requirements.

What is the significance of the leaping bunny certification on Paula's Choice products?

The leaping bunny certification signifies that the products are cruelty-free and have not been tested on animals, which is an important factor for many consumers when choosing skincare products.

What is the potential impact of this lawsuit on consumers who have purchased Paula's Choice products?

If the lawsuit is successful, consumers who have purchased Paula's Choice products may receive some form of compensation, although the majority of the settlement typically goes to the lawyers involved.

Why is the Chinese market significant for cosmetic brands?

The Chinese market is significant for cosmetic brands due to its large size, with a market value of over $455 billion in 2020, making it a highly desirable market for brands to penetrate.

What are some of the loopholes that allow brands to avoid animal testing in China?

Some loopholes include manufacturing products within China, as domestically produced products do not require animal testing for non-special use cosmetics, and selling through certain online platforms that may not require physical store presence.

What steps could Paula's Choice have taken to avoid animal testing?

Paula's Choice could have manufactured their products within China to avoid the animal testing requirements for imported non-special use cosmetics, as some brands have done to maintain their cruelty-free status.

Outlines

00:00

📢 Allegations of False Cruelty-Free Claims

The video discusses allegations against Paula's Choice brand for making false claims about their animal testing policies. The brand is accused of selling products in China, where animal testing is required, despite claiming to be cruelty-free. The lawsuit, which is in its early stages and has not been proven in court, is a class action led by a law firm. The video mentions that Paula's Choice has changed ownership and is now under Unilever, a company not known for cruelty-free practices. The presenter also points out that while China's testing laws are evolving, the brand's alleged misrepresentation could have a significant impact on consumers who value cruelty-free products.

05:00

🌏 China's Impact on Cruelty-Free Status

This paragraph delves into the complexities of selling cosmetics in China, where animal testing has historically been a requirement for imported products. The video explains that while there are loopholes and evolving regulations, not all brands take advantage of them. It is highlighted that Paula's Choice began selling in China in 2009 and continued to do so until 2020, despite claiming to be cruelty-free. The video also mentions that the brand could have avoided animal testing by manufacturing in China but chose not to, and that the lawsuit includes evidence such as registration dates and product lists that suggest animal testing was conducted.

10:00

🛑 The Controversy and Legal Action

The video script outlines the ongoing controversy surrounding Paula's Choice's animal testing policies in China. It details the legal action taken against the brand, which includes a class action lawsuit with substantial evidence such as examination testing reports and registration with the Chinese FDA. The video also discusses the potential implications of the lawsuit for consumers who have purchased Paula's Choice products under the belief that they were cruelty-free, and the possible outcomes of the case, which could take a significant amount of time to resolve.

15:02

💬 Seeking Audience Opinions on the Issue

In the final paragraph, the video host expresses interest in the audience's thoughts on the allegations and legal action against Paula's Choice. They acknowledge the complexity of the issue, with varying regulations and brand claims about their cruelty-free status. The host invites viewers to share their opinions in the comments and reflects on the unexpected drama in the skincare and beauty industry, noting the potential for dishonesty when significant financial interests are at stake.

Keywords

💡Cruelty-free

Cruelty-free refers to products that are not tested on animals, aligning with ethical consumerism and animal rights advocacy. In the video, the term is central as it discusses allegations against Paul's Choice brand for falsely claiming to be cruelty-free while selling products in China, where animal testing is a legal requirement.

💡Leaping Bunny Program

The Leaping Bunny Program is an internationally recognized certification that signifies a company's commitment to not testing their products on animals. The video mentions that Paul's Choice became an official member of this program, which is a key point in the discussion about their alleged misrepresentation of cruelty-free status.

💡Class action lawsuit

A class action lawsuit is a legal action taken by a group of people who have been wronged in a similar way. The script discusses a class action lawsuit filed against Paul's Choice for allegedly making false claims about their animal testing policies, which is a pivotal aspect of the video's narrative.

💡China's animal testing laws

China's animal testing laws require certain products, particularly cosmetics, to be tested on animals before they can be sold in the country. The video script highlights the complexities of these laws and their impact on brands like Paul's Choice, which allegedly continued to claim a cruelty-free status despite operating within these legal frameworks.

💡Unilever

Unilever is a multinational consumer goods company that, according to the script, currently owns Paul's Choice. The mention of Unilever is significant as it brings into question the brand's ethical standards and practices, given that Unilever is not known for being cruelty-free.

💡Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation in this context means providing false or misleading information. The video script alleges that Paul's Choice misrepresented their cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny status, which is the crux of the class action lawsuit discussed.

💡Special use cosmetics

Special use cosmetics are products that have specific purposes or functions, such as sunscreens, and are subject to different regulations. The script mentions that Paul's Choice registered at least one special use cosmetic with the Chinese FDA, which would have required animal testing.

💡Non-special use cosmetics

Non-special use cosmetics are everyday beauty products not requiring additional regulatory oversight for specific functions. The video explains that from 1990 to 2018, all imported non-special use cosmetics had to undergo animal testing in China, which is relevant to the allegations against Paul's Choice.

💡International Rabbit Day

International Rabbit Day is a day to celebrate rabbits and promote their welfare. The video script mentions a meme from Paul's Choice using this day to emphasize their cruelty-free stance, which is ironic given the allegations of animal testing in China.

💡Ethical consumerism

Ethical consumerism is a type of consumer behavior driven by concerns about social and environmental impact. The video's theme revolves around ethical consumerism as it discusses the importance of brands being transparent about their animal testing policies and consumers making informed choices.

💡Product registration

Product registration is the process by which companies register their products with regulatory bodies to meet legal requirements for sale. The script details how Paul's Choice registered products with the Chinese FDA, which allegedly involved animal testing, contradicting their claimed cruelty-free status.

Highlights

Paula's Choice brand is being sued over false claims related to animal testing.

The lawsuit alleges that Paula's Choice misrepresented their cruelty-free and leaping bunny status.

Paula's Choice has been sold twice, first to a venture capitalist firm and then to Unilever, which is not known for cruelty-free practices.

The lawsuit provides evidence of Paula's Choice selling products in China, where animal testing is required.

China's testing laws are evolving, with frequent changes and loopholes that some brands exploit to avoid animal testing.

Paula's Choice claimed to be cruelty-free and a member of the leaping bunny program, with a commitment to eliminate animal testing.

The brand has been accused of making misleading statements about their animal testing policies on their website and social media.

The lawsuit was initiated by individuals who believed they were supporting cruelty-free practices by purchasing Paula's Choice products.

Paula's Choice could have potentially avoided animal testing by manufacturing in China instead of importing products.

The lawsuit claims that Paula's Choice registered at least 60 products with the Chinese FDA, which would have required animal testing.

The brand's actions contrast with their public statements about not selling in China due to animal testing concerns.

The video discusses the complexity of regulations and the importance of staying informed about the details.

The cosmetics market in China is enormous, with a value of over $455 billion in 2020, making it a key market for many brands.

The video mentions other class action lawsuits against companies for false claims, indicating that this is not an isolated incident.

The impact of the lawsuit on Paula's Choice and its customers is uncertain, with potential outcomes ranging from financial compensation to brand reputation damage.

The video encourages viewers to share their thoughts on the issue, highlighting the importance of community discussion on ethical consumerism.

The presenter expresses surprise at the drama and complexities within the skincare and beauty industry, including lawsuits and ethical dilemmas.

Transcripts

hey guys welcome to today's video I just

wanted to do a little video discussing

some of the news if you're subscribed to

my newsletter I mentioned this uh in my

newsletter a couple days ago so it's

still relatively newer news and uh so so

far this is all allegations none of this

has been proven or uh decided in court

so keep that in mind because all of this

at this point is um just uh allegations

they haven't been proven and I'm just

going to go with what this company is

saying so this company is saying that

Paul's Choice brand is being sued over

false claims related to animal testing

and there's a law firm that's suing this

and it's going to be in class action

court and uh so so this kind of goes

back so just kind of come roll around

with me and I'll link to it below and

you can read more about it so basically

this brand is stating that Paula Choice

has been uh selling their products in

China

and when they started selling them in

China they required animal testing and

the brand knew about that and uh the

brand uh didn't care and they

misrepresented their crueltyfree and

leaping bunny status and at first so

Paul's Choice since Paul's Paula owned

them it's now been sold two different

times once to I think a venture

capitalist firm and then now second the

company that owns it now is huge it's

unil lever and they're not exactly the

most cruelty-free

um company out there so uh so anyway so

they say that overall this brand has

been falsely claiming to be crueltyfree

and at first just upon reading this I

thought well unil lover is out to make

money they're probably the one that

started

this however when you go a little bit

deeper into it and I will link to this

and I will link to the article below and

the um the published

lawsuit uh there are actual pictures of

Paula from Paula's Choice in China uh

saying were selling in China and it

basically goes on that uh the brand has

been selling several things and in all

these pictures and links they're saying

we're crueltyfree we don't test on

animals at the same time they were uh

being tested on animals in China and at

this point China's testing laws are

changing they're ever evolving they

evolve like on a monthly basis if not

more often than that so it's uh you got

to really stay on top of it there's so

many loopholes and things like that to

get around them but not every brand goes

through these loopholes and then uh

apparently two people uh one person that

was the one that started it uh was the

one she had a friend that had worked for

Paul's choice at one point and then

through that found out they're

purchasing p Choice thinking they were

crueltyfree and supporting the

crueltyfree movement at the same time uh

that was not the facts okay so uh so

I'll link to the case and the docket

number and all of that so Polish Choice

has posted uh in their website in 2013

no animal testing we are committed to

adoption of alternative safety testing

methods and the elimination of animal

testing on Cosmetics

worldwide uh and then in April 13 Paul's

Choice became an official C C ified

member of the leaping bunny program and

the requirements of the leaping bunny

program include a commitment to

eliminate animal testing not only from

the company but also from the ingredient

suppliers the result is the product

guarant be guaranteed to be 100% free of

animal testing the program administered

by a coalition of animal rights

including the Humane Society last but

not least we support many Animal Center

centered Charities such as the Humane

soci the ASPCA we are also a pet

friendly office many of our employees

bring our beloved dogs with them uh I

don't sometimes when a brand lays it on

a little

thick you should always be a little bit

sketchy and I will say there's been tons

of different class action lawsuits filed

against tons of different companies some

of them come out to fruition some of

them don't and most recently Grand lash

had a lawsuit against them um who else

did uh truly used to be truly organic

but they're not organic so they had a

big class action tart lots of them so

this is not super UNC common however

this one seems like it potentially has

more teeth to it than some of these

other ones although these other ones

they were found liable and people got

money so I think Rodan and Fields their

lash serum Grand lash um so okay so

here's another interesting post from

Paula's

Choice and I'll link to these so you can

see it so it's a it's a meme and it says

when other skincare Brands test on

animals and it's got a lady with kind of

a I don't know stank face or something I

don't know a face like that like a

cranky face and I said we're using

international rabbit day as an

opportunity to remind you at we're

crueltyfree so I mean they've been like

we're crueltyfree we're crueltyfree

we're crueltyfree every bottle we're

cruelty free does this have anything on

it I just picked this up the other day

but this doesn't have anything on it so

anyway okay all these other products

from them they have pictures on their

website of uh the leaping bunny

certification on their products I don't

see it on these runs I recently

purchased

interesting okay too bad I didn't save

any of the older ones okay so the

biggest thing is China it's a huge

industry in 2020 they said China has an

increasing demand for high higher

quality premium Brands the market size

of cosmetics in China was more than

$455 billion in

2021 which is equivalent when you figure

in the exchange rate which with

inflation who knows what this is right

now but over 63 billion at the the

current exchange rate so it's a giant

freaking Market everyone wants to be in

there but where your ethics lie because

it's not exactly simple to start selling

in China without going through this

process they've made different things

such as like non-s special use Cosmetics

however this goes back years this isn't

exactly something that happened like two

days ago or when unil lover took over

and the venture capitalist took over

this has been going on for a little bit

longer than that so uh so if you look at

the lawsuit I will link to it has

pictures and dates and things like that

to kind of back up their claims you

can't I mean you can just file lawsuit

in the US for nothing you can sue

anybody for anything for any reason at

any time for the drop of a hat however

to really if you're going to have a law

firm that's going to decide to spend

their effort and time on backing this

then I think they are looking for more

information you know if they went to

class action lawsuit as a law firm

you're done you're you can retire I

think in Minnesota we had a politician

that was involved in suing the tobacco

companies uh he's never going to have to

work again he's very wealthy so okay so

since 1990 the mpa which is the um nons

special use Cosmetics or nmpa national

Medical Products Administration which is

formerly known as the Chinese FDA they

required all imported

Cosmetics imported special and

non-special cosmetics to be test on

animals in Chinese designate in Chinese

designated and certified Laboratories

before they could be approved for

distribution in the Chinese market so

basically from 1990 to November 7th of

2018 All Foreign produc non-sp special

use Cosmetics need to be registered and

approved basically requiring animal

testing um so if you actually

manufactured things in China they aren't

necessarily uh have that rule applied to

them but if you're manufactur in the US

then want to sell in China then then you

are so that's where some of loopholes

are because some Brands manufacture

stuff in China then if they sell it in

China uh then it doesn't matter so like

a brand like elf where they manufacture

things in China they wouldn't have to go

through this so it's probably easier for

them to stay their

crueltyfree so uh basically this

required animal testing so let's

see going through

this so uh changes happen in 2021

however

uh since 2014 a Cosmetic Company can

also get exemptions from animal testing

by setting up or using domestic

manufacturing facilities in China uh it

does not apply to special use Cosmetics

Polish Choice this is where the interest

searchs get real Polish Choice began

selling skincare products in China in

2009 which was before all this happened

so to go through the loopholes either

PA's Choice was manufacturing the stuff

in China or importing it from here where

it was made to China and then if was

imported it had to be tested as far as I

understand uh so anyway so let's see the

Polish Choice registered at least 60

products including one special ed

cosmetic with sunscreen with the Chinese

FDA in China from 2009 to 2020 and then

they have a whole list of all the

products and I'm not going to go through

those you can check them out on the link

each of those product registrations will

have required a testing report meaning

that Polish Choice selected and retained

a Chinese laboratory to perform animal

testing I'm not going to go into what

that testing is you can read about it it

discusses it it's I don't like it it's I

don't like reading about it I don't like

thinking about it especially growing up

at hamsters and I mean thinking about it

is not fun uh I get that some things

need to be tested for safety but um I

just don't know if we're at that point

still you know what I mean

I don't know okay especially with

everything we can do in vitro and things

like that so so basically this brand

from 2009 I'm trying to think of when it

was first sold the venture capitalist

this was before I really got into

skincare so um but there's pictures of

poly choice in China with Chinese FDA

things like that there's posts on

Instagram things like that there's posts

on the website so uh each examination

testing report required a poli choice

products required them to be tested on

animals by the respective Chinese Labs

selected during the registration process

and then each product also lists the

Paul's choice or its agent as a

manufacturing product and there's copies

of all those tests obviously they got

approved because uh they passed and they

were being sold there uh let's see in

two thou at least by 2009 poish Choice

engaged Shanghai yinwen economic trade

as its District distributor in China so

they got a distributor so they could

sell there it's a $63 billion Market I

will say um there is a post on Paul's

choice that they that they showed about

them bragging that they didn't sell in

China because even though it's a huge

market and we're really doing ourselves

Financial disservice we're not selling

because of the the animal testing thing

and then in the

meantime uh that's what they're doing so

uh and at some point they moved their

time of moving if you sell in Hong Kong

then this testing isn't required so you

could sell of Hong Kong I've also read

that there's special websites if your

product isn't in a brick and mortar

store then it is different uh if you're

not in a brick and mortar store then

maybe you bypass it I'm not exactly sure

if that really works so because

technically if somebody has an

irritation or reaction to it from what I

understand it can get pulled and tested

no matter what that's my understanding I

could be wrong correct me it's very very

detailed uh information and just this

just a such a small subset of everything

related to skincare and cosmetics but

it's very important because with all

this the devil is in the details with

everything with everything the devil is

always in the details so it's important

to know the details so uh in 2010 Paula

traveled to China to promote Paul's

Choice entry into China and then even

posted on their website looks like I'll

be going to China in September for media

interviews Paul's choice is available in

China at PA choice.com

n which would be their Chinese uh

there's pictures of the products being

for sale I don't read Chinese but uh

it's in the document so if you read

Chinese you could check it out so to

avoid animal testing Polish Choice could

have availed itself to the 2014

regulations that allowed companies to

manufacture non-special use cosmetics in

China rather than import them instead

they continue to register and sell

imported products in China from 2009 to

2020 and approach that then record ired

animal testing for every product uh

although foreign companies have been

able to set up do domestic manufacturing

to avoid these special tests they waited

until 2021 to then start engaging

domestic manufacturers they been then

began bance products in China uh so they

could sell the China but at that point

the testing has been done I guess if you

want to sell new products and not hav't

tested then you could do that um so then

there's a list of Polish Choice products

registered by the Chinese FDA per year

these are all each one that says one is

one that's been tested on an animal I

assume so these uh so basically there's

a lawsuit this person for them

crueltyfree is a huge issue it's mainly

one that they make if they're going to

purchase something or not if it's

crueltyfree I might purchase it if it's

not crueltyfree it's automatically out

so it's a g uh it might be a guy Jesse

from

Seattle so uh anyway so they bought this

based on believing it was

crueltyfree so the class action they

filed this um and uh sounds like I mean

class action stuff takes time we

probably won't know anything might be a

year might be two years you never know

I'm thinking like the tobacco trials and

things like that took maybe several

years long time so at this point anybody

that's purchased a Paul's Choice product

I guess I would keep an eye on this

because if they do win everybody will

get something the lawyers will get

pretty much everything and then we'll

get like five bucks or something like

that so uh anyway so this is interesting

I will link to all this below because

it's pretty fascinating uh when you

start looking at things like that and

man when I started vlogging about

skincare and beauty and things like this

I never knew there'd be so much drama I

just had no clue lawsuits people lying

people lying people lying more people

lying and uh anyway I guess you know

when it comes to money

some people will do anything to make a

book not everybody but some people uh so

there we go I'm interested in your

thoughts obvious this is all alleged I

haven't seen any response to this or

anything like that I'm assuming lawyers

for unil lover are probably looking at

this as we speak and they'll probably

have a rebuttal and uh yeah so uh anyway

leave a comment with your thoughts and

you know it was interesting so it's was

posted on rdit so everyone's asking for

uh dupes for different Polish Choice

products so yeah we'll definitely be

finding out more in the near future or

late future but at this point

um I I don't know what to believe

there's so many brands that uh and so

many different regulations and things

like that that change so often so it's

definitely an area to stand top of and

it's interesting you can look up one

brand and find half 50% of websites that

say they're crueltyfree and then you

find another 50% of websites that say

they're not crueltyfree so it just shows

you how varied the laws are and how many

countries there are and how many

organizations there are and how many

different FDA departments there are in

every country and how many different

manufacturers there are and Distributors

it's amazing uh anyway there we go

interesting hearing your thoughts leave

them below I can't wait to hear uh what

your guys thoughts are because you

always have some really good input so

leave it below and I will see you guys

more tomorrow thanks so much bye guys