Benetton’s position regarding the controversy on mulesing between the Australian Wool Industry and PETA
In 2004 PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
launched a campaign against the Australian Wool Industry in an
attempt to force it to cease a practice called mulesing. PETA
unjustly and incorrectly involved Benetton Group in this matter
despite the fact that Benetton has no relationship, direct or
indirect, with sheep breeding in Australia.
Within the Australian Wool Industry there are now developments
aimed at the progressive elimination of this practice.
Benetton Group has not adhered to
the requests made by PETA, in particular the request to boycott
Australian wool, and has always paid strong attention to the
respect of ethical and social values in its manufacturing
organisation, its retail network and in its communication
campaigns, as has been repeatedly conveyed to PETA.
Benetton has been unjustly and
incorrectly involved by PETA in a dispute with the Australian Wool
Industry, despite the fact that Benetton has no relationship with
sheep breeding in Australia.
Benetton expresses its
appreciation and support for the agreement autonomously reached by
the Australian Wool Growers Association
(www.australianwoolgrowers.com.au) and PETA,
aimed at gradually eliminating mulesing and at the use of
procedures of recognised ethical value in sheep farming.
Benetton considers the
announcement of the development by AWGA of a specific label for
“non-mulesed” wool interesting and worth
encouraging.
Benetton plans, as in the past, to
continue to give preference to those suppliers who guarantee
ethical treatment of animals, such as, for example, those from
farms in Argentina, owned by its parent company, where in fact the
practice of mulesing is not adopted.