Harvey Nichols has reneged on its pledge made in 2004 to stop selling real fur items. But the up-market department store (with 8 outlets in the UK) began re-selling fur products in 2013 and has continued to do so since.
According to e-mails sent out by its Corporate Affairs department Harvey Nichols is ‘committed to sustainable and responsible practice across all areas of its business and ethical trading is an important part of this programme.’ They claim to seek ‘the assurance that the fur they use in products has been sourced humanely and ethically.’
But there is no such thing as ‘humane’ fur – that is why the UK government banned fur farming on the grounds of ‘public morality’.
The Corporate apologists also say ‘We also expect these brands to adhere to the Origin Assured programme ………’
But the Origin Assured scheme is a smokescreen. Its own website descrbes the assurance given by membership of the scheme: ‘It is an assurance that the fur carrying the label comes from a country where welfare regulations or standards governing fur production are in force.’
But virtually every country on the planet will claim it has ‘welfare regulations or standards’ and that they are ‘in force’. This does not mean the regulations/standards are any good or that they are enforced, rendering the claims meaningless.
As evidence of this a number of undercover investigations have been carried out recently showing the types of conditions found in fur farms in countries with ’welfare regulations or standards…..in force’.
Click on the country below to watch examples of animals’ lives from ‘Origin Assured’ areas:
The concept that fur can be ethical or humane is simply a marketing ploy, hiding the truth about the life and death of the tens of millions of animals used in the fur industry and designed to draw people away from thinking about the serious moral implications of wearing fur. Fur production is inherently cruel.
Harvey Nichols describes itself as ‘the place to be’ – we think its association with the cruel and unnecessary fur trade means it is really the place not to be.
In order to register your opposition to Harvey Nichols’ fur products please contact them directly, informing them of your boycott of the store until they re-adopt their fur-free policy and of your disgust at their continuing selling of fur.
You can write to their CEO using this address:
Stacey Cartwright
Chief Executive Officer
Harvey Nichols Head Office
365 Chiswick High Road
London, W4 4HS.
Or alternatively, please email the Harvey Nichols Fashion Director, Anita Barr, at: Anita.Barr@harveynichols.com ;
and the Harvey Nichols Press Manager for Fashion, Holly Whitman, at:holly.whitman@harveynichols.com
Please forward copies of any replies you receive to Respect for Animals, by email at:info@respectforanimals.org
or by post to:
Respect for Animals
P.O. Box 6500
Nottingham
NG4 3GB
