A historic victory for animals: Mondelēz International, the giant that produces Oreo, Ritz and Triscuit, has decided to close all the loopholes in its animal testing policy. The breakthrough comes after months of targeted campaigns by PETA and more than 63,000 supporters who pressured the company, leading to a total overhaul of its practices.
Until recently, Mondelēz’s policy allowed extremely violent experiments on rodents, including force-feeding human feces, glass beads, and high-fat diets, followed by euthanasia and dissection. The change announced by the company now extends the ban to all animal testing, no longer limited to products or ingredients, completely eliminating exceptions related to “nutritional science”. According to PETA, this change will save the lives of countless rodents and aligns the company with the compassionate business practices increasingly demanded by consumers.
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The strategy of PETA and supporters
PETA’s campaign was intense and multifaceted. The organization purchased Mondelēz shares to gain access to the board of directors, question executives at the annual shareholder meeting, and present a resolution calling for greater transparency. At the same time, viral videos, public protests and online mobilizations were organized, generating public pressure that forced the company to review its practices. The participation of supporters was fundamental: over 200,000 collective actions showed how attentive the public is to animal protection.
PETA emphasizes that mice and rats are intelligent, social beings and capable of complex emotions: males court females with melodies, puppies laugh when tickled and show deep emotional bonds with humans. The organization calls on consumers to support companies that employ humane and modern research methods, avoiding unnecessary suffering. Mondelēz now enters the circle of companies that put animal life and dignity first, sending a strong signal to the entire food sector.
Mondelēz’s decision demonstrates how social pressure and conscious activism can change company policies. PETA urges consumers to continue making a difference by supporting ethical practices and asking chains like Wegmans to support animal-free research. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the fight for a world where animals are no longer subjected to cruel experiments.
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