Harrods, the iconic London department store, is facing fierce criticism from animal welfare campaigners for its sale of opulent children's toys made from real animal fur in the lead-up to Christmas.
Luxury Items with a High Price and Ethical Cost
The controversial products include a teddy bear clad in a Fendi jumper, crafted from mink fur and carrying a price tag of £4,200. Another item, a children's cuddly rabbit covered in the Fendi logo, is also made from mink and costs £4,050.
Further items on sale feature a Dior toy rabbit made from orylag, a rare and super-soft rabbit fur sourced from farms near Cognac in France, which retails for £1,600. This comes despite a growing number of major retailers, including Selfridges, now refusing to stock fur products.
Fur Trade Facts and Political Pushback
While fur farming has been outlawed in the UK for over two decades, the material is still legally imported from countries like China and Finland. HMRC reports annual fur imports worth between £30 million and £40 million.
Claire Bass of the animal welfare organisation Humane World for Animals condemned Harrods' sales. "Caging and killing beautiful animals to turn them into opulent toys from Harrods couldn't be more at odds with the spirit of the season," she said. The group estimates that fur imported into the UK between 2019 and 2023 came from approximately seven million animals.
In Parliament, Ruth Jones, the Labour MP for Newport West and Islwyn, has introduced a Private Members' Bill aiming to prohibit the import and sale of fur. This bill is scheduled for its second reading in the Commons in January.
Harrods' Response and Industry Silence
When confronted, a spokesman for Harrods stated: "We carry out all legal requirements properly imposed on the sale of all goods within the store." Requests for comment from the luxury brands Fendi and Dior, whose products often contain fur, were not answered.
Campaigners are maintaining pressure on the retailer, urging it to end its association with what they describe as a cruel trade. Humane World for Animals has publicly called on Harrods to "take the inevitable step into a fur-free future."
