Fashion giant Frasers Group to phase out fur in 1,500 stores – including House of Fraser and Sports Direct

Fashion giant Frasers Group has announced it will phase out fur, following discussions with animal advocacy organisation Humane Society International/UK about the barbaric nature of fur farming.

The group, which owns multiple well-known brands including House of Fraser, Flannels, and Sports Direct among others, will stop buying products containing the material this season.

While the group, which operates some 1,500 stores worldwide, will continue to sell its existing inventory of items which contain fur, it says it will keep consumers updated as to when its outlets are fur-free.

The fashion giant joins a host of other retailers in ditching the controversial material, with brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Farfetch and Net-a-Porter among those who’ve pledged to drop fur in recent years.

According to the Humane Society International/UK (HSI) this latest announcement ‘signifies the accelerating decline of the fur trade and adds further pressure to the few remaining fashion brands that continue to sell it to follow suit’.

‘Committed to a future without fur’

Speaking at a recent AGM, Frasers Group chief executive Michael Murray confirmed that the organisation will be ditching the material.

He said: “Frasers Group is committed to a future without fur. The Group’s intention is to stop purchasing fur products from its partners starting with orders for the coming season.

“The business will be issuing letters to all of its suppliers requesting no fur products are supplied to the Group.”

At the AGM, Group Board Chair, David Daly, thanked HSI/UK for its support in helping the company reach this decision.

Frasers Group

In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, HSI/UK’s executive director Claire Bass said: “We are pleased to have been able to work alongside Frasers Group and applaud it for taking the important decision to stop purchasing fur. 

“By making this commitment to a fur-free future, Frasers Group are showing that it is a company in tune with the vast majority of the British public who believe that animals should not suffer in the name of fashion. 

“As a retail and brand powerhouse, Frasers Group’s decision is another critical milestone in the fur-free revolution underway in the UK, and brings us another big step closer to a Fur Free Britain. 

“We look forward to continuing to work with the company to set an end date for its inventory phase out period, to enable consumers to be confident of when Frasers Group will be fully fur-free.”   

Do you want to find out more about why so many brands are moving away from fur? Learn about the suffering caused by fur factory farming

Featured image: zoranm via Getty Images