Earlier protests outside the Harvey Nichols store in Manchester
Harvey Nichols had been selling rabbit fur garments in its stores despite complaints from customers. In October, the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT) launched a campaign which has seen weekly protests at the company's stores.
| CAFT had planned to organise protests outside all Harvey Nichols stores (Manchester, London, Birmingham, Leeds and Edinburgh) on Saturday 20 March.They rang Harvey Nichols the preceeding Tuesday to inform them of the planned nationwide actions and to ask if the company wanted to reconsider their sale of fur. An hour later they phoned back to say their Board of Directors had discussed the issue and the company agreed to end its sale of real fur. Company Secretary Clive Morton wrote to CAFT: "The Board has today reviewed the Company's fur policy and has decided going forward that we will no longer stock real fur items." | Earlier protests outside the Harvey Nichols store in Manchester |
Most high street companies have refused to sell real fur for years, knowing that their customers oppose the killing of animals for their fur. In recent months CAFT has persuaded companies such as Zara, Emma Somerset, Schuh and Aldo to stop selling real fur, and Aldo has now agreed to go fur-free in all their stores worldwide. CAFT is currently in discussions with other retailers over the introduction of fur-free policies.
The use of real fur is unpopular amongst the British public who recognise the cruelty inherent in the fur trade, and fur farming is now banned in the UK. Some companies are selling rabbit fur, often misleadingly described as a "by-product" of the meat trade. Commercial rabbit farms cage rabbits in bare wire cages, restricting movement and preventing natural behaviours.
Some rabbits are bred solely for their fur and those farmers who breed rabbits primarily for their meat also sell the fur to make the business profitable. CAFT is also concerned that the sale of rabbit fur promotes the use of all fur.
A CAFT spokesperson said: "We are pleased that Harvey Nichols has added its name to the long list of high street companies who refuse to sell real fur. The fur trade is responsible for the deaths of millions of animals - real fur is not glamorous, not fashionable and not wanted. The fur trade may like to claim that 'fur is back' but the public are aware of the horror animals go through and refuse to be part of that cruelty."
Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (07761 533 152, caft@caft.org.uk)
Home
STOP PRESS
Latest newsletter