Yes, nicnac. Its a way for companies to say we do not test on animals. So unless they state we do not get others to test on our behalf, there is no guarantee.
There's no guarantee when they say that either - and they do say that, while they're using ingredients that they know their suppliers are testing on animals for someone else. Just because they haven't instigated the testing doesn't mean the ingredients are cruelty-free. Company A knows that Company B is testing an ingredient - uses that ingredient as well - and tells us that they haven't asked anyone to test for them.
The ONLY way to be sure a product is cruelty-free is to buy products that are accredited by Cruelty Free International.
From GoCrueltyFree.org:
"Products bearing the Leaping Bunny mark are certified ‘cruelty free’ under the internationally-recognised Humane Cosmetics or Humane Household Products Standards.
These rigorous standards stipulate that no animal testing is conducted or commissioned for finished products or ingredients in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories or its suppliers after a fixed cut-off date.
Despite the EU ban on animal tested cosmetics, the Leaping Bunny continues to be the only way European consumers can be sure they are buying truly ‘cruelty-free’ beauty products. Although companies cannot now animal test new cosmetics products and ingredients for sale in the EU, they can still carry on animal testing for cosmetics sold outside the EU. The Leaping Bunny is a global standard and applies to all of the operations and sales of companies, not just those for the EU. We only certify companies that have a policy not to test their products on animals for any market, including China where animal testing for imported cosmetics is currently required."
The Humane Cosmetics Standards:
The introduction of the EU-wide ban on cosmetics will not be fully in place until 2013. Even after that point, it is possible that ingredients in some cosmetic products may have been tested on animals in other parts of the world. Member groups in the ECEAE run the internationally-recognised Humane Cosmetics (HCS) and Humane Household Products (HHPS) Standards to ensure that consumers can purchase products which are produced in accordance with stringent guidelines and are guaranteed cruelty free.
While the Humane Cosmetics Standard covers cosmetics and toiletries, the Humane Household Products Standard guarantees no animal testing in household products such as bleach, washing-up liquid, laundry detergent, furniture polish and air freshener – all which are still widely tested on animals throughout the EU.
Cruelty-free products with the ‘Leaping Bunny’ logo are available from most major retailers, with an increasing number of larger producers, such as Marks & Spencer in the UK, becoming approved under the Standards.
Certified products featuring the ‘Leaping Bunny’ logo guarantee that:
The finished product has not been tested on animals
Ingredients used to make that product have not been tested on animals
Any suppliers have not tested ingredients
The company is asked to recommit to being cruelty free every year with a full audit
The company operates a fixed cut-off date after which animal testing on ingredients will not be allowed