Chanel is not cruelty free because their products are tested on animals where required by law (in mainland China).
Additionally, Chanel is not 100% vegan as a brand.
To learn more about this brand and find out why they’re not cruelty free, keep on reading!
By the way, if you’re looking for new luxury cruelty free products to add to your beauty routine, make sure to check out the last section of this post where you’ll find some of the best Chanel cruelty free alternatives.
Let’s dive right in!
Is Chanel cruelty free? Are Chanel products tested on animals?
Chanel is NOT cruelty free.
In order to be cruelty free, brands:
- Must not test their finished products or ingredients on animals
- Must make sure that their suppliers don’t test on animals
- Must not commission third parties to test their products on animals
- Must not sell their products in stores in mainland China, or other countries where animal testing is still required by law
Chanel doesn’t have an official animal testing policy, and they didn’t respond when I reached out to them.
During my research, I confirmed that Chanel products are sold in mainland China (more on that below).
Currently, all brands that sell their products in stores in mainland China have to agree to have their products tested on animals, so they can’t be cruelty free.
Therefore, Chanel is not cruelty free.
Keep on reading for more information!
Is Chanel sold in China?
Chanel is sold in mainland China where animal testing is still required by law.
They have multiple stores in China, and you can find them with the store locator on their website.
Chanel has been selling in China for more than 20 years.
The China market entry of Chanel started in the end of the 1990s. “香奈儿” is the Chinese brand name of the company. In 1999, the brand opened their first shop in Beijing. In 2013, Chanel possessed 10 stores in China, this number is increasing as the demand of Chinese luxury consumers.
Source: Daxue Consulting
Why can’t cruelty free brands sell in mainland China?
Animal testing is still happening for products sold in physical stores in mainland China.
Pre-market animal testing is required for all special-use imported products, and non-routine post-market testing on animals may also be done in cases of customer complaints.
However, please keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to products sold in stores at the airports, or in Hong Kong.
Also, products can be sold online and shipped to mainland China without being tested on animals.
Is Chanel owned by a parent brand? If yes, is it cruelty free?
Chanel is not owned by a parent company.
Is Chanel vegan?
Chanel is not 100% vegan. Some of their products contain animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Additionally, Chanel is definitely not a vegan-friendly brand.
They’ve been criticized by animal rights activists for the use of leather, fur and exotic skins including crocodile, lizard, and snake skin for decades.
In 2018, PETA published an article announcing that Chanel has banned fur and exotic skins.
Although that’s great news, Chanel still can’t be considered vegan-friendly as they continue to use leather and animal-derived ingredients within their products.
Cruelty free and vegan alternatives to Chanel
Chanel is a well-known luxury beauty brand. They focus on high fashion and luxury cosmetics and accessories.
There are so many beauty brands that are cruelty free!
That’s why, in my opinion, there’s really no excuse for supporting brands that test on animals.
Some of the best cruelty free alternatives to Chanel are:
If you want to discover more luxury and cruelty free brands, check out my post on the 12 Best Luxury Cruelty Free Brands: The Ultimate Guide.
Now it’s your turn!
What are your favorite cruelty free brands?
Let me know in the comments below!