MANY readers of The Northern Echo will presume that animal testing of shampoos and cosmetics is a thing of the past.

Although such testing is banned in Britain, there are products on sale here that are still being tested on animals abroad.

One such product is Herbal Essences. Behind the “natural”

and “organic” branding lies the reality of hundreds of animals killed by unnecessary testing.

There are many shampoos on the market produced without animal testing, one example being Co-operative stores which sell its own brand of shampoo and personal care items approved by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, so it can be done and there is no excuse for Herbal Essences to inflict suffering on any animal.

The thing that will persuade Herbal Essences to stop animal testing is people simply stopping to buy the product.

I urge readers genuinely concerned about animal welfare to help defend the defenceless and register their support for the campaign at www.hurtfulessences.org.

If enough people show their opposition to this animal testing then we have a great chance of persuading Herbal Essences to mend its ways.

Barbara Bates, Shildon, Co Durham.