House of Fraser removes fur products after backlash

House of Fraser has removed fur products from its stores and website following a public backlash and pressure from animal rights organisation The Humane Society International.

The Humane Society (HSI) has been instrumental in the shift away from fur by many high profile brands and designers in recent years via its #FurFreeBritain. Last week it called House of Fraser out on social media for stocking brands such as Parajumpers, Pyrenex and Mackage which use fur from wild-trapped coyote, as well as fur factory farmed rabbit and raccoon dog from China, and raccoon dog and fox from Finland.

HSI dubbed the retailer the "House of Horrors" for stocking the products, which they had spotted at the Oxford Street store, and for reversing its previous no-fur policy. But after HSI had written to the retailer's new owner Sports Direct and generated an outcry on social media, the products were removed.

The group Tweeted images today to show the products had been removed and said that staff in Oxford Street had confirmed there were no more products containing fur in the store. Nor were there any online.

.@houseoffraser has listened to tsunami of customer outrage at decision to sell cruel #fur. Left pic = Oxford St store on Monday, right pic this morning - staff confirmed there is now “no animal fur available in any HoF store”. Waiting to hear from CS on policy reinstatement 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7qVuK0Iv8r

— Humane Society International/UK (@HSIUKorg) November 22, 2019

“We are delighted to see that cruel animal fur products have been removed from House of Fraser’s website and stores nationwide. HoF’s new [owner] Mike Ashley has been hit by a tsunami of public protest, with thousands of messages from shoppers shocked and appalled to see this respected high street store turned into a House of Horrors, selling fur from factory-farmed rabbits, foxes and raccoon dogs as well as coyotes trapped and shot in the wild," said HSI UK executive director Claire Bass.

"British shoppers have sent the message loud and clear that fur is bad for business, and has no place on the British high street. We urge House of Fraser to publicly reinstate and uphold its long-standing fur-free policy," she said.

Fur farming has been banned in the UK since 2000 as is the import of certain types of fur such as domestic dog and cat fur and seal fur. HSI is campaigning for the British government to ban the sale of all fur in the UK.