OVER 80 PROTESTS MARK THE 6TH GLOBAL BOYCOTT P&G DAY
The Sixth Annual Global Boycott Procter & Gamble Day took place
on Saturday 25th May 2002. Over 80 different protest events occurred,
stretching from Dundee to Exeter in the UK, and involving campaigners
in Brazil, Canada, USA, Mexico, New Zealand and the Czech Republic.
The global consumer boycott of Procter & Gamble
(P&G) is being spearheaded by Sheffield, England-based group Uncaged
Campaigns, together with In Defense of Animals in the USA. In one of the
largest anti-vivisection protests in the world, demonstrations took place
in town centres, at supermarkets and at P&G establishments.
The Day of Action is part of an ongoing mass protest against cruel tests
performed on monkeys, cats, dogs and other animals by P&G and its
subsidiaries such as the pet food brand IAMS:
- Working from figures supplied by P&G to the US Government, our
conservative estimate of P&G's slaughter is 30,000 animals every
- An undercover investigation exposed the killing of 48 monkeys in a
nasal decongestant test. One monkey was autopsied before it is dead.
- Animals used to test corrosive ingredients in Max Factor and Olay
- P&G remain committed to poisoning and killing animals to test
new cosmetic and toiletry ingredients. Such tests are banned in the
UK, but P&G performs the tests abroad for products sold in the UK.
- IAMS have killed cats and dogs in laboratory research for pet food.
Animals have been given lethal kidney damage and severe allergies. Story
broken on front page of Sunday Express.
Director of Uncaged Campaigns, Dan Lyons, explains the impact
of the campaign:
"Hundreds of thousands of UK consumers have signed our pledge
to Boycott Procter & Gamble until they stop their cruel tests on
innocent animals. We estimate that our campaign is costing P&G over
ten million pounds a year in the UK alone."
"Our campaign is fundamentally educational. Most people simply
don't realise that famous brands such as Fairy, Ariel and Head &
Shoulders are made by a corporation that vivisects defenceless animals
for the sake of "whiter whites" and "younger-looking
skin". Once they are aware, we find the huge majority want nothing
to do with this cruel company. PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF THEY BUY P&G
PRODUCTS, THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE HOLDING THE KNIFE THEMSELVES."
Here are some reports and pictures of 2002's Global Boycott Procter &
Gamble Day we have received so far (please send us a report and pictures
of your protest):
In their home city, the leaders of the Boycott P&G movement, Uncaged
Campaigns, took to the street outside the Sainsbury's store on The Moor.
With the aid of banners, posters, a six-foot dog and a megaphone, thousands
of consumers were alerted to P&G's cruelty. Media coverage was gained
in the regional daily newspaper, The Star, which has a circulation of
Sainsbury's was again the venue for an intense protest in the town
centre. Almost a thousand of our new design 'Procter & Gamble Test
on Animals' were distributed to shoppers eager to find out more about
P&G vivisection practices.
We made our own posters that had slogans like: 'pringles-once they
pop the cruelty don't stop'. We also got our own leaflets printed
that had the names of products to boycott and gave them out. On the
whole, we got a good response and we even saw another animal rights
group. It was an excellent morning.
We set up a street information stall in Slough's Queensmere shopping
centre at about 9.30am. Our main aim was to be as colourful & approachable
as possible, in order to catch peoples attention as they passed, and
then if they wanted more information they would hopefully feel at ease
coming to speak to us.
This plan did seem to work for us too, as our professional posters
did catch people's eyes, and our friendly volunteers rattling the money
tins were kept well occupied in the talking stakes!
The general response from the public, when informed of P&G's sustained
animal testing policy was extremely heartening, we collected nearly
100 signatures on your P&G boycott pledge as well as raising nearly
£200! Many people were appalled to find that their shampoo or
washing powder was still being tested on animals. One woman in particular
told me I'd enlightened her and that she would never buy from P&G
again, she could not thank me enough. Similarly when informed about
Iams, people were in disbelief that dogs & cats could be subjected
to painful & intrusive procedures in the name of pet food research!
Luckily the rain held off and it was mostly bright and sunny, although
a bit breezy. Lots of interest from people, particularly about Iams,
and we distributed all the P&G 'Always Testing' leaflets we had.
The day started in Brighton at 1 o'clock with members of Brighton Animal
Rights Campaign descending upon the London Road branch of Sainsbury's.
Many shoppers were shocked to hear about Procter & Gamble and many
vowed never to use their products again. After several successful hours
we finally ran out of leaflets, due to the sheer demand for information.
We hardly expected the dozen or more coppers, EG team & two riot
vans that turned up to "police" us, but it certainly helped
get us noticed.
Our supermarket trolley sweep was done at Sainsbury's on Coventry town
centre. There were six of us we had 5 trolleys and one basket which
we loaded up to the top with as many of the products on your list as
we could find - Bounty towels, Always, Pringles of course, Iams pet
foods, Head and Shoulders, etc, but unfortunately couldn't find the
Sunny Delight. We then went by the tills (without blocking the shoppers)
popped the hand basket on the 'reduced' shelf and locked the 5 trolleys
together retrieving our pound coins and asked to see the Manager. We
told him why we wouldn't be buying the product... he was absolutely
furious with us and told us we were banned from "his store".
His security officer was very amused and as he escorted us out said
he was a very small man.
Once out of the store we went to the front entrance and gave out leaflets
to shoppers who were interested and generally supportive, until the
manager finally realised where we were. We had noticed in the store
that there were leaflets on a joint Sainsbury/Pringles promotion so
took delight in pointing this out to shoppers.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Unfortunately we had a cloudy day (some rain also), and so it was difficult
to take posters, etc. Nonetheless, some friends and I went to some supermarkets
and other shops disseminating some leaflets against P&G and exposing
vivisection. But in the near future we will stage another protest against
vivisection and specially against P&G.
On the day before the global boycott, 15 activists gathered outside
Tescos in Prague handing out leaflets about P&G products. The TV
media and journalists were present.
On the day of the boycott itself, about 40 activists took part in a
demo in front of P&G. People came with big banners, posters and
The advantage was that the building is situated on a very busy Prague
street. People were stopping and listening. We explained on the megaphone
to everybody the reason why we were in front of this building, we exposed
P&G's cruel experiments in vivisection labs and their lies. Bypassers
were given leaflets and the demo gained the interest of the national
TV and local press.
Uncaged Campaigns 29.05.02 & 18.06.02