Is Peter Thomas Roth Cruelty-Free (in 2023)

Does Peter Thomas Roth test on animals or sell in China?

Peter Thomas Roth is a well-known high-end skincare company that can be found all over the world. But is Peter Thomas Roth cruelty-free or do they test their products on animals?

For a company to be considered cruelty-free they have to meet all of the following criteria:

Do not test any of their products or ingredients on animals
Don’t allow others to test on their behalf
Do not sell in a country where animal testing is required.

After doing a bit of research, I found that Peter Thomas Roth doesn’t meet the above cruelty-free requirements and is not considered to be a cruelty-free skincare brand.

Let’s look into what all of that really means and what you can do about it.

Is Peter Thomas Roth Certified Cruelty-Free?

When researching a brand’s cruelty-free status my first stop is the certified cruelty-free list. There are three organizations that give official certifications to brands around the world: Leaping Bunny, Peta, and Choose Cruelty-Free.

Peter Thomas Roth is not found on any of these organizations’ cruelty-free lists. However, they are found on Peta’s list of brands to avoid.

Does Peter Thomas Roth Test on Animals?

The next step in my research is going directly to the company’s animal testing policy to see where they stand. Peter Thomas Roth’s policy can be found in the ‘FAQ’ section of their website. Here is what it states:

“Peter Thomas Roth does not test any of our formulas or raw materials on animals but we believe in total transparency and will not claim that for the following reasons:
1. We cannot be certain that a raw material supplier has not now or at some time in the past tested an ingredient on animals. We do not knowingly purchase ingredients that have been tested on animals and inquire before purchasing ingredients but some staple ingredients that have been used in products for years may have been tested on animals in the past.
2. We do sell our products in China and some other countries that still do test on animals; though it is our understanding that China is moving towards stopping this practice. We are not alone in selling to China; nearly every major cosmetic company sells there. Also to be noted are that many major beauty retailers conduct business there including QVC and Sephora.”

Peter Thomas Roth’s animal testing policy sounds like a blame game to me. They point out that it’s a possibility that an ingredient in their products has been tested on animals in the past. They do state they try to avoid those types of ingredients to the best of their ability. However, they knowingly sell in China where animal testing is required for imported cosmetics. Therefore, Peter Thomas Roth does allow animal testing on their products.

Is Peter Thomas Roth Sold in China?

Yes, Peter Thomas Roth does sell in China. After doing a quick Google search I was able to locate them on Sephora China. I’ve included an image of the website below.

What About China’s New Animal Testing Laws?

China has announced that as of May 1, 2021, general cosmetics such as shampoo, body wash, lipstick, lotion, and makeup can be sold without being tested on animals. However, a company is required to jump through various hoops for this to happen. As of now, Peter Thomas Roth has not been exempt and their products can still be tested on animals by the Chinese health authority. Even if an exemption happens it is still possible that the products can be subjected to post-market testing.

Is Peter Thomas Roth Owned By a Parent Company?

No, Peter Thomas Roth is not owned by a parent company.

Is Peter Thomas RothVegan?

Peter Thomas Roth is not considered to be vegan because they test their products or ingredients on animals or allow others to do so on their behalf. So, until this changes, we choose not to look into whether they may or may not have products that don’t contain animal ingredients.

What are Cruelty-Free Alternatives to Peter Thomas Roth?

There are several cruelty-free skincare alternatives to Peter Thomas Roth. Check out the list below:

Wrap Up: Is Peter Thomas Roth Cruelty-Free?

No, Peter Thomas Roth is not a cruelty-free skincare brand. Even though they claim to not test on animals, they choose to sell in a country that requires imported cosmetics to be tested on animals.

Therefore, Peter Thomas Roth is not considered to be cruelty-free. They will be added to my list of brands that test on animals.

Now I’d like to hear from you…What are your thoughts about Peter Thomas Roth? Please leave your comments below!