Stickers Warn of Animal Testing

In the shopping aisles of the Square's two CVS drugstores, yellow stickers are appearing everywhere. And they're not heralding lower prices.

Over the last few weeks, stickers which say "Warning: Animals suffered to make this product" have appeared on a host of items on the shelves of the CVS stores.

Beginning in the last week of January, the stickers have appeared on toothpaste, razor blades, soap and other facial care products according to employees in the CVS on JFK St.

No group has claimed responsibility for the Stickers. And CVS workers say there is little that they can do.

"It's pretty hard to trace [who's doing this]," says Simone Grato, an employee at the store.

The stickers are also hard to make off, employees say.

"We can't even remove them," says Grato. "Once we remove them it destroys our merchandise."

The branch of the stores next to the Coop has experienced similar problems.

"I started noticing the stickers a couple of weeks ago," says one employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The employee says she removed more than 10 stickers yesterday.

Customers appear to the divided by the stickers and their message.

Luis E. Carranza, a second year graduate student in architecture, says he isn't bothered by the prospect that animals died for his detergent.

"Because somebody is going to suffer either way," Carranza says. "I'd rather some animals suffer than me."

But others say they are genuinely bothered by the stickers.

"I wouldn't buy any of that stuff," says one CVS customer.