AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Apr. 18 /Medianet International-Asianet/ --

Lush Cosmetics unites with SAFE to support New Zealand layer hens

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics is this week using its 10 New Zealand stores to launch a national campaign against the use of battery hen cages in New Zealand. From April 18 – 27, the company's store windows will feature a picture of an egg and banner that reads: "Lush believes in happy hens", while staff dressed as hens will be collecting postcard submissions to be presented to Prime Minister, John Key.

For the campaign, Lush has also produced a limited-edition version of its Charity Pot body lotion ($38.80), with all proceeds (minus tax) donated to New Zealand animal rights group SAFE, who campaign and lobby against the use of battery hen cages.

Three million hens spend their entire lives in cramped cages that provide less than an A4 sheet of paper of living space per bird. This extreme confinement denies a hen the opportunity to carry out her normal behaviour, something that is required under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Sharing a cage with up to five others, they frequently suffer from stress, hysteria, disease, severe feather loss, brittle bones, exhaustion and poor diet.

According to SAFE's promotions manager, Amanda Sorrenson, "Eight out of ten New Zealanders are opposed to battery hen cages and SAFE believes that it is time for the Government to listen to the public's concern and introduce a complete ban on the caging of all commercial laying hens."

"As a business, we pride ourselves on our ethics and strict no animal testing policy. We are thrilled to be able to assist SAFE in their campaigning efforts and hope this week sees the beginning of legislative change", said Lush Queen Street Auckland store manager, Anna McPherson.

Lush are a vegetarian company with a long history of campaigning against animal experimentation and a whole range of other animal, environmental and human rights issues.

* Lush Cosmetics, established 15 years ago, has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath ballistic, shower jellies and solid shampoo bars, Lush places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables. Lush operates a strict policy against animal testing and supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives. Lush leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by running public awareness campaigns and developing products that can be sold 'naked' to the consumer without any packaging. Lush has been awarded the PETA Trailblazer Award for Animal Welfare.
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