Islington Council has become the first London borough to ban the sale of real fur in its markets.  

The council is determined to tackle the cruel fur trade and also to put residents’ minds at ease when shopping at markets in the borough.  

It will be illegal for traders in Chapel, Exmouth, Camden Passage and Whitecross Street markets to sell real fur from 1 January 2020. Islington is the second borough in the country to review changes to street trading licences to ban fur from sale at markets. 

The move follows a review by the Houses of Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee last year which concluded that the Government should look into banning the sale of real fur in the UK. Fur farming was banned in the UK in 2000, but it is legal to sell some types of real fur that have been imported, if it is accurately labelled. 

Last year, the Labour Party pledged to ban the import of real fur into the UK and Islington Council has taken steps to put that into action with this announcement.  

Cllr Asima Shaikh, Islington Labour’s Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Jobs, said: 

“We are very proud that Islington is the first London council to ban the sale of real fur in our markets.

“We have no reason to believe that illegally farmed fur is used in any products sold in our street markets, but it is important that the council works hard to tackle this cruel and awful trade. We want to ensure that consumers can be sure about the origins and production methods used in clothes and goods they buy.”

Cllr Nurullah Turan, Chair of the Licensing Regulatory Committee, said:

“It is important that we lead the way in Islington by banning the sale of real fur in our markets. This unpleasant ‘fashion’ is against everything we believe in and disgusts many Islington residents. It is important the Government follows where Islington leads and bans the import of real fur completely.”