Posted January 31, 2011 by Ray Harkins
We are thrilled to announce that after more than 40,000 supporters of PETA and its affiliates around the world sent e-mails to Unilever (the world’s largest tea maker and the makers of Lipton Tea and PG tips), urging the company to stop testing tea on animals and after we met with Unilever representatives, the company agreed to halt all such tests worldwide. In a message just posted on its website, Unilever states, ”Unilever is committing to no animal testing for our tea and tea-based beverages, with immediate effect.”
Thanks to everyone who responded to our online action alert, no more piglets will be infected with E. coli toxin and have their intestines cut apart while they are still alive, no more rats will have holes cut into their intestines and be fed tea ingredients through a tube in their throats, mice won’t be suffocated or have their necks broken, rabbits’ heads won’t be cut off, and other cruel tests that involved tormenting and killing animals simply to study the health effects of tea products and ingredients will no longer take place.
Not one of the experiments that the company conducted was legally required for beverage makers, and regulators have stated that animal tests are not required to prove a health claim about a product.
With this victory, the suffering of animals for Lipton and PG tips teas ends. Lipton joins many other tea and beverage companies—including Stash Tea, Luzianne Tea, Twinings, Honest Tea, Ocean Spray, Welch’s, POM Wonderful, and Japan-based tea giant ITO EN—in being cruelty-free.
peta2 Street Team Coordinator + lover of vegan food, cats, animal rights, Dawson's Creek, and Harry Potter.
Hello! My name is Nina, and I am a musician-in-training, and I play 7 instruments. I am a liberal, an LGBT activist, avid reader, composer, singer, and poi spinner. I am vegan, and a strong supporter of animal rights.
Born and raised in Mexico. I love vegan food and animals!
I was born in Canada and love peta2. I table every month and meet new people:older and younger. I love music and play the recorder. I'm a 6 year spelling bee champion. Again I love peta2!
I have always lived in Los Angeles but my family and I went to Mexico for my parents wedding. So we came back to LA. I don't like LA but were here already what can I do unless I move out and find my own housing. I have always liked animals and it was til I was like about 14 when I learned about tests they do on animals and I began to explore animal cruelty because I was interested it in it. I have watched videos that just broke my heart so that's why today I'm doing all I can to not buy anything that has harmed an animal and I'm vegetarian .
I'm tall, I love sewing, fashion and the environment, also I'm vegetarian (wannabe vegan.) Obviously, I love animals! :)
Just keepin’ it real,
586 days ago
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HOLY SH**! I didnt know they were animal testing! I feel so bad!!! I was drinking their tea thinking that it was better than Nestea but thir just as bad! I’m gonna throw up! I’m so horrible! AHHHH! AHHHH! *CRYS*
841 days ago
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Thank you, Marina! I cannot believe how these people here cannot READ!!!!!!!
((((((
841 days ago
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FOR GOODNESS SAKE DO NOT BY ANYTHING UNILEVER!!!!!!!!!! They STILL test on animals outside USA!!!!!! I’ve got an e-mail from them, here is a part of it: “However, there are still several countries where we are still legally required to test the safety of our products as a condition for us being allowed on the market, and in these cases the testing will be provided by third parties.” (Maarit, I respect your comments here! Good job!)
842 days ago
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Savi, they have not stopped testing! They only pay other testing companies to do it outside the US of A.
843 days ago
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Ya! Great job everyone we did awesome! Thankyou so much peta2.
847 days ago
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Mah, you are right! I got email from Unilever, and they confessed they still are testing outside the USA. It has to stop in all the countries!!!!
847 days ago
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Yes . It has to be stopped in all the companies …. drug companies and cosmetic copmanies are the worst !!!
We will raise up our voices for every diffenseless creature on this LOVELY PLANET EARTH !!!
847 days ago
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As far as i know Unilever n Lipton have stopped testing JUST in the USA .The cruelty against animals n animal testing should be stopped n ended in each , every single company , food n drud producers .
No MORE ANIMAL TESTING !!!!
853 days ago
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YAAAAAAAAAAA FINALLY!
WHEN YOU TAKE ACTION, ACTION HAPPENS!
854 days ago
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YES !!!! finally
IM SOOOO HAPPY SEE WHEN U STAND UP 4 SOMETHIN MIRACLES HAPPEN !! 
854 days ago
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Thank you Maria and Marina, for telling the truth! I hope the rest of you finally understand that the fight is far from over!!! Don’t buy Lipton or Unilever!!!!!They are testing outside the USA!!!!
854 days ago
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LIPTON and UNILEVER ARE STILL TESTING ON ANIMALS OUTSIDE THE USA!!!!!!!!! I’m not going to buy any of their products and I don’t recommend you to buy them!
855 days ago
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Hi everyone. It’s true UNILEVER stills do testing outside USA, for exemple, in my country ARGENTINA they DO test on animals
so I don’t buy anything from them (my heartless parents do).
855 days ago
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They still test outside the USA!!!!! For heaven’s sake, don’t buy anything Lipton or Unilever!!!!
858 days ago
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I am so happy they stopped. I hope we can get other beverages to go cruelty free as well…
859 days ago
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THEY HAVE NOT STOPPED TESTING ON ANIMALS!!!!!!!! THEY JUST DO IT OUTSIDE THE USA!!!!!!!!!!!
859 days ago
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brilliant result but who in their right mind would have thought tea needs to be tested anyway, especially on animals?
859 days ago
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every signature counts!!! “the power of one!”
860 days ago
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Lipton and Unilever are still testing outside the USA!!!!
Still NO REASON TO USE ANY LIPTON OR UNILEVER products UNTILL THEY STOP TESTING all over the world!!!!!
860 days ago
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This made my day (:
860 days ago
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I LOVE LIPTON.
860 days ago
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Victory!
860 days ago
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They still test outside the USA!!!!! For heaven’s sake, don’t buy anything Unilever!!!!
860 days ago
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I heard about this and even had to write about it on my blog. SO awesome!
861 days ago
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Untill they stop testing outside the USA, I will not drink Lipton!!!
861 days ago
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Stop testing tea on animals, please. Stop the cruelty to animals.
861 days ago
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It is time for all companies to stop testing on animals, this is a victory but we must continue until there are no animals being used for experimental testing.
861 days ago
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I still will not drink Lipton Tea since they have caused soooo much pain & agony to all of these poor animals. I would rather drink tea from all of the tea companies who would never even consider torturing an animal. I will also be careful not to buy products from Unilever for the same reason.
861 days ago
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Thanks for the wonderful news. But we cannot ease up..we must continue to let our voices be herd for God’s Cratures.
861 days ago
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I’m so happy the uneeded torture from Lipton is ended! There’s that many more innocent animals being saved.
861 days ago
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yeyyyyyyyyy omgosh i am so happy they stopped ….yet another victory lets keep it upp people!!!!!!
861 days ago
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Thank goodness – but testing should never have occurred in the first place.
Rusty
861 days ago
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I’m still not gonna drink Lipton though..at least not yet…
861 days ago
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I can’t stop crying!! This rabbit looks just like my Louise!! I’d DIE without her!! I am so happy for the victory!
861 days ago
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Good Work Guys – I am so proud to be part of your organization., I am a big believer that there is no big I’s and little u’s. This is a WE issue. And there is POWER in numbers. Numbers of people who have the same focus and agenda to do well for the sake of our planet, our animal breathen, and ourselves.
Power in numbers also in regards to money.. and the loss of it for companies who get bad press when the truth about some of the horrendous things that are done to animals is very powerful to.
Please never stop what your doing.. it is the voice in all of us that wants to stop abuse on any level.
Rox
861 days ago
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Really glad that this is over now. I wasn’t planning to start drinking lipton tea again anytime soon, but my mother suggests I buy some as a ‘reward’ for lipton. I didn’t really know what she was talking about, but I’m sure she knows better than I do.
Anyway, I am so glad to hear that they’ve stopped testing on animals, and it feels great to know that together we really can make a difference, as cheesy as that sounds. I never really believed that could happen, but it did! And I’m going to stop rambling now.
Woo!
861 days ago
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well done to all who made this possible xxx
861 days ago
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Great news but still won’t buy there tea.Wouldn’t give these nasty people any of my cash.Don’t know how thay cuold produse the dam tea knowing what these poor little animals were bing abused and tortured.Thank god it has stopped.
861 days ago
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One small step for man. One big step for mankind.
861 days ago
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Great!
The victory is ours and it may be a small step in the world, but we DID save a lot of animals!
Hopefully they will really stop!
861 days ago
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merci beaucoup Lipton pour cette formidable nouvelle
861 days ago
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I have never been so proud to be a Peta member. I love you Peta for your giant heart and neverending love for animals.
861 days ago
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WOOOOOOOOOOO AYYYYYYE GET IT PETA GET IT <3
861 days ago
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I am glad that there organizations fighting too improve
the lives of animals, especially when the victims aren’t
able to defend themselves. In many lands where animals
have no rights the people quite often are treated the
the same way.
Sincerely yours,
Ernest Schumann
861 days ago
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Their products are still tested outside USA, so there’s a battlefield that needs tending to.
861 days ago
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Amazing! It’s beautiful to see the changes people can make when they pull together
861 days ago
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I’m so happy too.
I loved Lipton Tea but as I heard what they do I stopped drinkin it. I think noone needs to test things like tea on animals!
Great job done.
I’M ao proud!
861 days ago
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Good news! I am so proud and thankful for Peta. Although it is a small victory in the grand scheme of things, it feels great to know that PETA saved countless innocents from a horrible fate.
863 days ago
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I CAN DRINK THE AWESOMEST TEA EVA AGAIN
864 days ago
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OMG! happy face! ^_^ i used to drink lipton everyday until i found out what they did to animals now i can drink it again
yeah!! i was really missing it! I <3 animals
-Shmoo!
865 days ago
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@Candy
Yeah I know. I used to be oblivious to it too.:/ Apparently toothpaste makers test on animals too! Same as Shampoo companies and what-not.:/ Sadly, all we can do is try our best to stop them from hurting more animals.
865 days ago
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industries need to know when they used animals for tests people BOYCOTT
867 days ago
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I am so happy! Now I can drink it without feeling disgust for what Lipton has been doing!
867 days ago
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This is awesome but still my brain can’t process how this goes on on daily basis have these ppl got no heart? There’s one more thing I wanna say did any of u know that some mouth wash companies such as listerine experiment on animals?I was unaware of this
867 days ago
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Wonderful news! I am so proud of Peta and all of us. Although it is a small victory in the grand scheme of things, it feels great to know that we have saved countless innocents from the same fate.
869 days ago
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big thanx to unilever and peta. but what abt other product that unilever testing on animals? stop this crual on animals pls.
869 days ago
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This is awesome! =)
BOTTOMS UP!
869 days ago
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I cannot believe this, i am sooo happy they have listened and decided to put a stop to this! What the hell were they doing??
I don’t understand how people think is is acceptable to test on animals, most animals body’s wouldn’t even react the same to ours.
I say test this stuff on the humans that did it to those poor animals, see how they like it!
Hopefully we will be able to continue to convince company’s that this is wrong!
Well done Peta!!
869 days ago
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Thanks God!!!! We are change the world.
Do it.
869 days ago
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this cruelty will have to be stop.
869 days ago
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870 days ago
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I really appreciate it from peta2, please do not torture the rabbits, rats or animals, they understand that human animals are like people. NO TORTURE, NO CRUEL, Please do not disturb the animals by the laboratories. (Animals are living beings who feel and suffer just like us humans!)
870 days ago
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A small victory. You should stress that by buying Lipton Tea products we’d still be supporting Unilever, and they continue perform horrible and unnecessary tests on animals.
870 days ago
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870 days ago
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That’s great im so happy!!! Good job!!!
870 days ago
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Yaaaaaaay!!!!
870 days ago
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Why do you need to perform animal tests on tea? Doesn’t make any sense to me, but its great that they stopped testing on animals!
870 days ago
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YES! VICTORY IS OURS! ;DDD
870 days ago
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Whoa! I had no idea this was happening.
870 days ago
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How do we know it’s not just words. How can this be monitored inside their labs?
870 days ago
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Now, we just have to keep going so that ALL Unilever brands/products stop animal testing for good!! Let’s kick some butt!! Thank you fellow animal lovers!! <3 <3 <3
870 days ago
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Fantástic, I am very happy!
870 days ago
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SWEET!!! This is awsome news!
870 days ago
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Yeahhhhhh ….. I’m soooooo happppy men. !!! That’s the reason cause i’m proud giving to ‘em money !! Yessss
870 days ago
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VICTORY AT LAST!……
870 days ago
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I’m glad they stopped it, but I’m still not going to buy any Lipton tea. It will take lots of time for my emotional wound to heal. They have done enough damage to those poor creatures that I can not easily forget.
870 days ago
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Wonderfull ! Thanks a lot
870 days ago
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excellent! unfortunately, doesn’t Unilever test on animals for most of their other products? They have their hands in a lot of markets, and I’m avoiding all of their products until they find a better way to conduct business.
870 days ago
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We can really make things better for our animal friends…together our voices are very POWERFUL and do make the difference! Thank you all.
870 days ago
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Absolutely phenomenal to hear!
870 days ago
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Great news!!
870 days ago
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We CAN make a diffence in animal lives!!! WHOOOO!
870 days ago
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i am so happy!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am so proud of peta2 and peta for doing a great no an awesome job what you do for animals. and i just wanna say that i;m so happy that they won’t test on animals the company Lipton tea yay!!!!!!!!!
: )