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News :: Civil & Human Rights

Boycott LUSH Cosmetics

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Code pink Protesting LUSH.jpg
LUSH: This could be your store, next!
StandWithUs is deeply disturbed that the UK-based parent company of LUSH Cosmetics is promoting an extremist, anti-Israel group, War on Want (WoW), as one of its “ethical campaigns.”

We hope that as supporters of peaceful coexistence, you will decide to stop buying LUSH products until LUSH reverses this policy or at least until LUSH’s North American subsidiary publicly distances itself from this campaign. We also hope that you will urge your family, friends, and community to do the same until LUSH'S-UK stops supporting WoW and ends its involvement with campaigns that harm Israel and the peace process.

On its website, LUSH expresses pride about being "dynamic, original and progressive." If the company looked more carefully at Israel, it would learn that Israel stands out as one of the most progressive, environmentally conscious nations in the world.

Please read the material below for more information.

Brief Background

LUSH is a UK cosmetics company that was incorporated in 1994 and promotes its products as luxury, vegan, and eco-friendly. Today it has 600 stores in 43 countries, including a North American division.

The company started campaigning publicly on a laundry list of environmental, animal, and human rights issues in 2006.

Unfortunately, LUSH’s parent company, located in the UK, has chosen to promote the "OneWorld--Freedom for Palestine" song project. The lyrics are anti-Israel propaganda. One World hopes the song will top the music charts. Proceeds from the sales of the song will all go to WoW. (www.lush.co.uk/articles/our-ethical-campaigns/oneworld_100-10285_10.html)

Brief Background on War on Want (WoW)

WoW is a UK charity that has been investigated by the UK Charities Commission because of its anti-Israel positions and anti-Semitic imagery. It has been a leader in the propaganda campaign to demonize Israel through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, and it supports the propaganda and agenda of groups like Hamas.

WoW demands that Israel take down its security fence, end the Gaza naval blockade, and accept the Palestinians' "right of return," which in essence denies Israel's right to exist and calls for its destruction through demographic changes.

(For more information on WoW, see www.ngo-monitor.org/article/war_on_want_uk_)

Lush has adopted WoW's demonization of Israel.

Lush-UK simply copied and pasted WoW's accusations against Israel onto its Web page on “ethical campaigns—One World” located here (www.lush.co.uk/articles/our-ethical-campaigns/oneworld_100-10285_10.html). They are identical to those on WoW's "Justice for Palestine" Web page (www.waronwant.org/campaigns/justice-for-palestine).

The "OneWorld--Freedom for Palestine" project is supported by veteran anti-Israel groups, including the A.M. Qattan Foundation, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Friends of Al Aqsa, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions UK, Stop the War Coalition, and Trust Greenbelt. (See www.freedomoneworld.com/faq.html).

LUSH-North America, informed us that it has nothing to do with the OneWorld campaign of its UK parent company, and does not include the campaign on its website. If that is the case, LUSH-North America should publicly renounce both the OneWorld project and WoW.

What You Can Do

· Tell your family, friends, and community to buy their soap and cosmetics elsewhere until LUSH-UK drops this campaign or until LUSH North America formally distances itself from its parent company’s policies. Instead, choose from the wide array of Israeli-made beauty and bath products.

· Write a letter to LUSH. Tell it to stop supporting one of the uglier campaigns of our time--the "Hate Israel" movement. Let LUSH know that you and your community will not be able to purchase LUSH products until the company severs all ties with promoters of this campaign. A sample letter is included below.

E-mail your letter to the LUSH press office and the LUSH charity office, or call them to let them know you can no longer support Lush. When you e-mail your letter, please blind copy info (at) standwithus.com.


LUSH Press Office LUSH Charity Office

Phone: 0207 434 3948 Phone: 01202 667 830/ 0772 579 0474

E-mail: gina (at) lush.co.uk karen (at) lush.co.uk E-mail: charitypot (at) lush.co.uk
 
 

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