Animal rights charity Peta has urged the UK government to update footwear labelling regulations, claiming consumers are being misled into buying products containing wool when they believe they are vegan. Under current rules, wool can be grouped under the generic term 'textile', which also includes plant-based and synthetic fibres.
Kate Werner, senior campaigns manager at Peta, said: '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.' In a letter to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Peta called for wool to be given a unique symbol to clearly indicate its animal origin.
Richard Matthews of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute said manufacturers are responsible for ensuring labels are not misleading. He noted that if shoes are described as vegan, the description must be honest, but generic labelling that complies with regulations is acceptable.
Peta highlighted the 'significant suffering' sheep experience in the wool industry, arguing that grouping wool under the textile symbol obscures the fact that wool production involves animal exploitation and slaughter. Ethical Consumer supported the call for transparency, stating people have a right to know what materials they are buying.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said regulations require main materials to be stated clearly, and encouraged consumers to speak to retailers for more information. The CTSI advised shoppers to double-check before buying if concerned about animal fibres.
