Government must not drop plans to ban fur sales says HSI/UK, calls on DEFRA to publish results of 30,000 responses to fur trade Call for Evidence

In response to speculation that the UK government is under pressure to abandon plans to strengthen animal welfare legislation by banning imports and sales of cruel fur, leading animal charity Humane Society International/UK urges Ministers to listen to the overwhelming public support for a ban and to publish the results of its Call for Evidence which received 30,000 responses.

Claire Bass, executive director for Humane Society International/UK, says: “Polls show that 72% of Brits want a fur ban, and over 140 MPs from all parties agree that we should not remain complicit in the death and suffering of millions of animals caged or trapped overseas for frivolous fashion. Last year there were 30,000 responses to the government’s Call for Evidence on the fur trade, we are calling for the results to be published. This evidence should determine government policy, not the personal preferences and hunches of a small number of influential Conservatives. ”

Facts:

Fur farming has been banned across the United Kingdom since 2003, but more than £800 million worth of animal fur have since then been imported from countries including Finland, China and Poland.
Last year, a call for evidence launched by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) sought views from the public and the fashion industry on the animal welfare and socio-economic impacts of the fur trade. It received over 30 000 responses. Defra’s Action Plan on Animal Welfare clearly stated that the Government would explore potential action with regard to the import of other fur from abroad.
Last April, a petition with more than one million signatures was handed in to No.10 Downing Street by the #FurFreeBritain coalition, which comprises Humane Society International, PETA UK, Four Paws, RSPCA, Viva!, Open Cages, Brian May’s Save Me, Jane Good Institute UK and Animal Aid.
The public support of the bill is undeniable: a 2021 Yonder poll showed 93% of Brits won’t wear fur and 72% want a ban on fur sales. A YouGov opinion poll in 2020, also revealed Brits’ scathing view of fur as ‘unethical,’ ‘outdated, ‘cruel’ and ‘out of touch.’
Latest import data: HMRC all countries fur imports to UK in GBP: in 2020, the UK imported £33,987,750 worth of fur products. Source: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/
Most UK high street stores are fur-free, and many have long-standing fur-free policies. The global Fur Free Retailer programme now has more than 1,500 brands signed up, further underlining the public and corporate distaste for animal fur. In the last few years we’ve seen a major domino run of high-profile fashion designers adopting fur-free policies, including Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Chanel and Versace.
The #FurFreeBritain campaign has received support from over 50 British celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench, Brian May CBE, Leona Lewis, Alesha Dixon and Ricky Gervais, and designers such as Stella McCartney OBE, Vivienne Westwood DBE and Katharine Hamnett CBE.