Kmart has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Australian retailer to earn the Leaping Bunny logo for its own-brand beauty products, This prestigious certification from Cruelty-Free International (CFI) confirms that all cosmetics and personal care items offered by Kmart are officially cruelty-free. This achievement aligns with the growing demand for ethical and sustainable products among consumers.
Retail Beauty sat down for an exclusive interview with Nicola Farrell, Kmart Business Manager Beauty, to find out more.
What inspired Kmart to create its own-brand cruelty-free beauty range, and why did you choose to partner with Cruelty Free International?
As a large-scale retailer we know that we have a responsibility to all the many lives we touch, including those of our much-loved animals. We are proud to have received cruelty free approval under the Leaping Bunny Programme, as it marks an important and significant step for myself and our Kmart teams, who have been working incredibly hard over the last few years on incorporating sustainability and positive change into our products. Our customers want to be able to shop with confidence and choose products that they know are making a positive difference. Because the Leaping Bunny is the globally recognisable gold standard for cruelty-free consumer products with standards that go over and above legal requirements, it was important for us to work with Cruelty Free International to achieve this approval, as we knew it would give our customers the reassurance they deserve when purchasing from our much-loved beauty range.
Can you tell us more about the specific products and categories that will be included in Kmart’s cruelty-free beauty range?
All of our own brand cosmetic and personal care products across our OXX and ANKO brands are approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny Programme, the internationally recognisable gold standard for cruelty-free products. The beauty space at Kmart is exciting, and our team are continually developing new ranges that meet our customers changing needs. We keep close to emerging trends and are always looking for the next big thing. Over the past 18 months our focus has been the transition to a broader suite of categories across our house brand. This step change allows us to offer our customers exceptional products at exceptional value. We have recently relaunched one of our house brands, OXX cosmetics. We focused on formulations and new packaging across the whole range, and as a result have been able to give our customers luxe for less and the feedback so far has been amazing.
How does Kmart ensure that the products in this range adhere to cruelty-free standards throughout the manufacturing and testing processes?
Gaining Leaping Bunny Accreditation has changed the level of detail involved in our processes for developing our beauty products at Kmart. For many years we have held strong supplier relationships with our sourcing partners and source with care, but this certification has strengthened our internal due diligence process on all our products, to give that extra level of certainty. To gain the Leaping Bunny Accreditation, every single ingredient that goes into making every single product must be checked and assured that it is not tested on animals. As part of the accreditation we have to maintain these checks and assurances, and guarantee that our products are checked annually, to give our customers the confidence that none of our products are tested on animals.
What kind of consumer demand or trends prompted Kmart to take this step towards cruelty-free beauty products?
Gen Z seem to be the ones driving change across the industry at the moment and I think the power and influence of this social savvy generation is remarkable. Our customers are expecting transparency as well as seeking authenticity and inclusivity and this generation has started putting pressure on brands to respond faster and more proactively than ever. At Kmart it is crucial that our teams stay connected to the market and ensure that as a business we are always moving in line with customer expectations as well as delivering innovative ranges that are both accessible and affordable.
Read the current issue of our digital magazine below:
- For more news and updates, subscribe to our weekly newsletter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Like us on Facebook
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
Wonderful news that more and more companies (in Australia) are securing the Leaping Bunny logo!!!!
Congratulations K Mart!!!