Protesters Disrupt Adidas Stores Globally Drawing Attention to Athletic Brand’s Central Role in the Slaughter of Kangaroos for Shoes

(Sydney, Australia)— Animal activists throughout the world joined forces over the weekend, disrupting Adidas stores and alerting customers to the corporation’s involvement in the largest mass slaughter of terrestrial wildlife in the world — on kangaroos.  Led by the Animal Justice Party and as part of the Center for a Humane Economy’s “Kangaroos Are Not Shoes” campaign, more than 30 animal welfare organizations supported hundreds of people who hit the streets in 20 locations (and online) in cities in Australia, United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and New Zealand.

We are so grateful to the Animal Justice Party and Their Turn for leading this bold effort to raise awareness of the last large shoe manufacturer standing for horrific mass slaughter of native wildlife for its commerce,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action. “Adidas is no doubt taking notice, as it should as the last holdout among the biggest athletic shoe brands to finance such cruelty including orphaning joeys once protected by their mothers.”

In Germany, the Netherlands and New York, protesters entered stores peacefully and chanted, “Adidas, stop killing kangaroos to make football shoes,” while holding up signs of bludgeoned baby kangaroos alongside photographs of Adidas CEO Björn Gulden, and Frank Henke, SVP of the company’s sustainability division.

“We’ve been told by an executive at Adidas that they made their decision to use kangaroo leather (in 1% of their shoes) based on statements by the Australian government and RSPCA Australia that the commercial killing of the marsupials is sustainable and humane,” said Jennifer Skiff, campaign director at the Center for a Humane Economy. “It’s not humane. Bludgeoning and orphaning a half-a-million joeys every year is the antithesis of humane. Adidas knows this.  We’re all calling them out on their corporate policy that states they’re opposed to kangaroos being killed inhumanely.”

In 2023, Nike, Puma, Diadora, and New Balance all announced an end to the use of kangaroo leather in their shoes in 2024.

“They made an ethical decision, understanding that putting the price on the head of Australia’s most iconic species is not sustainable, nor is the killing humane.  Adidas is one of the biggest purchasers of kangaroo skin in the world and is fueling the kill for profit,” said Louise Ward, state director of the Animal Justice Party in New South Wales, Australia.

“When animal advocates in NYC began protesting at Adidas stores in May, we could not have imagined that, just six months later, activists in almost 20 other cities around the world would join us in calling on Adidas to stop killing kangaroos and their joeys,” said Donny Moss of Their Turn, which has been leading the U.S. protests. Seeing the social media posts from this weekend’s protests in California, Europe and Australia will assuredly inspire even more activists to join the global effort.”

In July, the Kangaroo Protection Act (H.R. 4995) was re-introduced in Congress by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).  The Act aims to ban the importation and sale of kangaroo products in the United States.  The state of California banned the import and sale of products made from kangaroos in 1971.

Each protest began this weekend began with the reading of a manifesto outside the doors of an Adidas store.  It read: “Adidas, you have the power to change.  To be on the right side of history.  We are watching, the world is watching.  We will hold you to account and we will keep coming back, until you stop killing kangaroos.” 

“The global protest was a call on Adidas to operate with compassion, to follow their own commitments to sustainable business practices by recognizing the Five Freedoms for Animal Welfare,” said Skiff.  “We believe Adidas can be persuaded to join the team of ethical corporations. It’s time.”

Protests were held in the following cities:

 Australia/New Zealand

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Cairns
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Adelaide, Australia
• Auckland, NZ
• Christchurch, NZ

North America

• New York
• Los Angeles
• Toronto, Canada

Europe

• Frankfurt, Germany
• Hamburg, Germany
• Dublin, Ireland
• Rome, Italy
• Canguri, Italy
• Napoli, Italy
• Prato, Italy
• Catania, Italy
• Pisa, Italy
• Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
• Madrid, Spain
• Cordoba, Spain
• Gijon, Spain
• Jaen, Spain
• Seville, Spain
• Las Palmas, Spain
• Mallorca, Spain
• La Coruna, Spain
• Roosendaal, Netherlands
• Brussels, Belgium