Dr. Deborah Tanzer sent the following letter to J.
Crew:
J. Crew Customer Relations
One Ivy Crescent
Lynchburg, VA 24513-1001
Dear J. Crew,
I am writing to inform you that I will boycott your stores until you stop using
oil obtained from slaughtered emus in your products. Emu oil has no medicinal
value or superiority over the many plant-based oils available as moisturizing
agents for bath and body products. I ask that you replace emu oil with one
of these many plant-based oils.
Native to Australia, emus belong to the oldest living
family of birds on earth, the ratites, or "running birds." By
using emu oil you are reducing these glorious birds into a mere
commodity for wasteful human consumption. I urge you not to bring
more shame on yourselves by slaughtering them for the sake of your
profits.
No federal laws regulate the treatment of emus at any stage of
production, and most state anti-cruelty laws exempt livestock.
It would seem the "deficiencies" lie
not only in the law but in your sense of ethical responsibility.
Emu oil is a modern-day "snake oil" peddled by a struggling industry
literally trying to squeeze every last drop out of the birds it hoped would
make it rich through the sale of emu meat for human consumption but the public
did not take the bait. Like the emu ranchers, you are making a business blunder
by buying into the emu industry’s propaganda.
Please, let me know when you completely stop using
emu oil in your products. Then I will reconsider shopping for your
products.
She received the following letter almost immediately:
Dear Dr. Deborah Tanzer:
Thank you for contacting J.Crew.
We appreciate your taking the time to contact us regarding the use of Emu oil
in our lotion and body wash products. Due to poor sales performance of
these items, we will no longer carry them once the current stock has been depleted
from our stores.
Thank you for your support of the J.Crew brand and we look forward to serving
you in the future.
If we can be of further assistance, please let us know by responding to this
email at service@jcrew.com.
Sincerely,
Melissa Millner
J.Crew Customer Relations
1-800-932-0043
