MAC Testing on Animals?

Recently I have seen some worrying posts regarding MAC's policy on animal testing. For as long as I have been using MAC products (since 2005), the company has proudly stated that they did not test on animals, this has apparently changed. The website no longer makes any mention of animal testing unless you type "animal testing" into the search box and even then this is all that comes up:

''The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is committed to the elimination of animal testing. We are equally committed to consumer health and safety and bringing to market products that comply with applicable regulations in every country in which are products are sold.''
                             -maccosmetics.co.uk

That is it. Almost 30 years of having never tested on animals and they silently change policy, giving only two sentences full of weasel words designed to confuse those searching for that information. I particularly like how they claim to be "committed to the elimination of animal testing"; this would be one thing if they had always done so and were trying to eliminate it - not the other way around.

I do know why they have had this sudden change of heart: they want to sell in China, where the law requires the torture (I don't care what anyone says, that is what animal testing amounts to) of animals.  I do  not see the benefit of testing makeup and cosmetic products on animals as much more effective means of testing products have been used for decades.

I do wonder how they will respond to the banning of animal testing in the UK from March 2013 (I think this is true of the rest of the EU as well). Will they abandon the loyal and lucrative UK/EU markets? They cannot claim they do not test on animals when the same products will be sold in China. I know other companies test on animals, I simply do not buy from them if I know or even think they might test on animals and I will no longer support MAC by reviewing their products or buying any more from them. I am both saddened and inconvenienced by this development but I believe that testing cosmetics on animals is wrong and will not knowingly contribute to the misery and suffering of innocent animals in order to line the pockets of a business. I doubt this post would matter to them if they read it, I wonder how many people would have to blog, complain and boycott for them to care. I hope they reverse this decision like they pulled the Rodarte/Juarez collection in 2010. It is always sad to see the good guys become bad guys.

Here is a photo of Jess: