Islington council bans sale of fur

London’s Islington council has voted to ban the sale of all animal fur items, including fur coats, at all markets in the borough. Humane Society International has applauded the move.

The ban will come into effect for all new trader licenses from 1 October, and all other licenses from 1 January 2020.

“It can be hard for consumers to be sure about the origins and production methods used in clothes and goods containing real fur. While we have no reason to believe that illegally farmed fur is used in any products sold in our street markets, we think it is important that the council works hard to tackle this cruel and awful trade,” said Islington’s business chief Councillor Asima Shaik said in an interview with the Islington Gazette.

"We are very pleased to announce that we have been working on a new policy for a number of months now which, if approved, will ensure that no products with real fur are sold in Islington markets in the future.”

Islington becomes the first London council to announce such a ban, and second in the UK after Oldham council.

The decision was celebrated by Humane Society International, whose #FurFreeBritain campaign is trying to persuade institutions and clothing brands to drop the use of fur in recognition for animal rights.

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/ UK said: “We applaud Islington Council for becoming the first London borough to take explicit and decisive action to stop the sale of a product that causes such extreme animal suffering, in the borough’s markets.

“We encourage other councils to follow in Islington’s steps, and we urge the government to take note of this ban as another step towards our goal of a UK-wide sales ban.

Traders at Chapel, Exmouth, Camden Passage and Whitecross Street markets in Islington will no longer be permitted to sell fur from 1 January 2020.

Islington council bans sale of fur

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