H&M offers conditional resolution to mulesing argument

NATIONAL: Swedish retailer H&M has agreed to continue using Australian merino wool providing it is sourced from farmers who no longer practice mulesing.

The condition was expressed during a much publicised meeting between representatives from the Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce and the high street retailer in Stockholm yesterday.

Taskforce operation group chairman Don Hamblin said the group used its time with H&M to inform its representatives that the Australian wool industry was on track to phasing out mulesing by 2010 and that its commitment to them and other retailers remained unchanged.

The comments come in response to accusations by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) alledging the taskforce had "reneged" on its commitment to stamp out the practice.

Just days before the meeting, PETA has also leaked details of an email allegedly sent to it from H&M head of environment and corporate social responsibility Ingrid Schullstrom in which she said would start looking for non-mulesed wool alternatives sourced from countries other than Australia.

Hamblin said the comments were a departure from the taskforce's usual policy of not publicly discussing conversations with retailers. However, this was deemed necessary to respond to PETA's "misinformation".

 "While H&M would still like to see Australian woolgrowers stop mulesing immediately, the taskforce explained that without effective alternatives in place, to cease mulesing now would leave millions of Australian merino sheep susceptible to a painful death from flystrike."