Unilever Acquires REN Skincare – Will This Impact Their Cruelty Free Status?

Unilever Acquires REN Skincare - Will This Impact Their Cruelty Free Status?

Recently it was announced that personal care giant Unilever acquired REN Skincare. REN Skincare is a popular cruelty free brand and most of their products are also vegan. Unilever, however, currently does not own any personal care or beauty brands that do not test on animals.

This news comes shortly after Unilever announced that they plan to expand their reach in the personal care and beauty industry.

Read the full press release and statements related to Unilever Acquires REN Skincare – Will This Impact Their Cruelty Free Status?

The official press release from Unilever states:

London/Rotterdam – Unilever announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire REN Skincare, the iconic British skincare brand.

Created in 2000 by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft, REN pioneered a new type of high performance skin care. REN’s combination of effectiveness, naturalness and pleasurable experience – articulated as ‘performance; purity; pleasure’ – gives the brand a highly distinctive market position that has global relevance. The multi-award winning brand is today sold in 50 countries and has built a committed consumer base. The range is sold predominantly in specialty stores and pharmacies.

Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever SVP Prestige Brands, says: “We are delighted to be adding REN to the Unilever portfolio of personal care brands. It is a brand with an incredibly loyal following, with a unique proposition that no doubt gives it potential for even further growth, especially given that the naturals category is one of the fastest growing in skincare globally. Its premium positioning complements well our existing portfolio.”

Antony Buck, REN CEO, adds: “It’s been an amazing experience creating and building REN over the last 15 years but it’s time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide. We can’t wait to get started!”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in May 2015, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

At Logical Harmony we are nervous about what this acquisition could mean for the REN Skincare animal testing stance. REN Skincare is currently considered cruelty free by Logical Harmony and PETA. We have reached out to REN Skincare and are hoping to hear back from them soon about if they will be able to remain operating as an independent brand or if they, like other Unilever brands, will have to give up their cruelty free status.

11 Comments

  1. Hello! Have you gotten any word from REN regarding their animal testing status after the acquisition? I tried to find any info online but there isn’t much. Thanks a lot in advance.

  2. I read about this last month, I was so bummed because two of their items are my HGs. I am committed to ceuelty-free makeup and I would them up even though it took me a long time to find them. 🙁

    Thank you for your diligence and dedication to maintaining this lis!

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