British consumers trying to avoid animal-derived products are being misled by unclear footwear labelling, a leading animal rights charity has said.
Under current legislation in the UK, all footwear must be labelled to show the main materials – at least 80% – used in the upper, lining and sock, and outer sole.
However, if no single material makes up 80%, the two main materials must be listed. For example, a label or pictogram might show “30% rubber, 70% leather”.
Wool is not required to be named on footwear labels. Even when it is a main material, it is grouped under “textile”, which also includes plant-based and synthetic fibres such as cotton, hemp and polyester, unless a brand chooses to specify it.
As a result, consumers trying to avoid animal products might unknowingly buy shoes containing wool, believing them to be vegan, said Kate Werner, a senior campaigns manager at Peta, an animal rights organisation.
“[Wool] is labelled with the same symbol as vegan textiles, leading consumers to believe that a product with that symbol is ‘safe’ to purchase from an ethical standpoint,” she added.
In a letter to Jonathan Reynolds, the secretary of state for business and trade, Peta has called for regulations to be updated so consumers can make informed choices that align with their values.
It also asked for wool to be given a unique symbol “that clearly communicates its animal origin, such as the one currently used for leather”.
It added: “Many people choose products based on ethical considerations and environmental concerns, and they deserve transparency. If wool is grouped with humane and non-animal materials, it prevents consumers from making informed decisions aligned with their values.”
Richard Matthews, the lead officer for fair trading at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said it was the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure footwear was properly labelled and not misleading.
“At present, if the footwear is made up of ‘mixed materials’ the word ‘textile’ is permitted in the description. If shoes are described as vegan, we would expect this description to be honest. However, if the shoes are generically labelled, and are labelled according to the regulations, this complies with legislation.”
Peta pointed to the “significant suffering” sheep experienced in the wool industry. Grouping wool under the textile symbol “is misleading, as it obscures the fact that wool production, like leather and sheepskin, involves the exploitation and slaughter of animals”, the letter states.
A spokesperson for Ethical Consumer, a nonprofit that investigates corporate ethics and product sustainability, said: “People have a right to know what materials they are buying so they can make informed decisions, because many people do want to avoid supporting animal exploitation and see wool as part of that. Therefore the use of the word ‘textile’ without reference to wool is misleading, or at very least insufficiently transparent.”
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “Regulations require the main materials used in shoes to be stated clearly. We encourage anyone who needs more information to speak to their retailer.”
CTSI urged consumers with concerns about the presence of animal fibres in footwear to double check before buying them.
