The Body Shop, once a pioneering force on the British high street, has encountered numerous challenges over the past decades. Founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, it rapidly gained acclaim for its ethical approach to cosmetics, emphasizing natural ingredients, fair trade, and a staunch opposition to animal testing. The brand’s commitment to social activism set it apart in the cosmetics industry, championing issues like self-esteem in women and environmental sustainability.
However, the journey has not been without its hurdles. The acquisition by L’Oréal in 2006, for £652.3 million, marked a contentious chapter in The Body Shop’s history. Critics argued that L’Oréal’s past with animal testing clashed with The Body Shop’s ethical stance, although Roddick hoped the merger would enable her to influence L’Oréal’s practices from within. Unfortunately, Roddick’s untimely death in 2007 left the brand without its visionary leader.
In 2017, The Body Shop transitioned ownership to Natura, a Brazilian cosmetics company, for £880 million in a move celebrated for aligning with its ethical roots. Despite receiving B-Corp certification in 2019, the road ahead remained rocky. Fast forward to November 2023, when Natura sold The Body Shop to Aurelius, a global private equity group, for a significantly reduced sum of £207 million. A mere few months later, in February 2024, the UK branch of The Body Shop entered administration, followed by similar actions in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, and France. This series of administration announcements underscored the severity of The Body Shop’s predicament, threatening the closure of a substantial portion of its stores across Europe.
While the ethical and social activism ethos of The Body Shop remains relevant, particularly among younger consumers, the brand has struggled to adapt to the rapidly changing retail and digital landscapes. The introduction of the ‘Forever Against Animal Testing’ campaign in 2017 showcased an effort to engage the mobile and online community, reflecting a shift towards digital activism. However, the challenge of translating in-store personal customer care to the digital realm remains a significant hurdle.
Paul Dodd, chief innovation officer at Huboo, said: “All retail brands need to evolve with the times, and today’s consumers – particularly younger audiences – shop differently, buying more products online and using the high street as a showroom. “But as companies like The Body Shop and Wilko have discovered, being an effective eCommerce brand is about far more than simply opening up an online store or listing on Amazon. “This wasn’t an insurmountable challenge. Even in these cash-strapped times, demand for ethical beauty products has continued to grow. But the truth is consumers have found greater affinity with digitally savvy eCommerce-first brands that speak their language and better understand how to engage them online, leaving the old guard struggling to compete. “Our high streets will feel the loss of stalwarts like The Body Shop and Wilko, but the lesson for the brands that remain is to borrow from the modern eCommerce playbook – and borrow fast – if they want to endure in an online-first retail environment.”
The administrators’ strategy for The Body Shop involves a significant reduction in the brand’s physical store footprint while concentrating on enhancing product offerings, online sales channels, and wholesale strategies. This approach is aimed at revitalizing the brand, aligning it with industry standards, and facilitating a return to profitability. The closures affect not just the London area but also extend to Warwickshire, Kent, and Bristol, signalling a nationwide impact on The Body Shop’s presence.
The seven Body Shop stores that closed on February 20 following the administration announcement were:
- Surrey Quays (London)
- Oxford Street Bond Street (London)
- Canary Wharf (London)
- Cheapside (London)
- Nuneaton (Warwickshire)
- Ashford Town Centre (Kent)
- Bristol Queens Road (Bristol)
The 75 Body Shop stores closing in the next four to six weeks are:
- Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
- Banbury, Oxfordshire
- Barnstaple, Devon
- Basildon, Essex
- Battersea, Greater London
- Bedford, Bedfordshire
- Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Bexleyheath, Greater London
- Blackburn, Lancashire
- Blackpool, Lancashire
- Bournemouth Commercial Rd, Dorset
- Bolton, Greater Manchester
- Brixton, Greater London
- Broughton Park, Cheshire
- Bury, Greater Manchester
- Camberley, Surrey
- Carlisle, Cumbria
- Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
- Chippenham, Wiltshire
- Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- Croydon, Greater London
- Didcot, Oxfordshire
- Durham, County Durham
- East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire
- Edinburgh Gyle Centre, Midlothian
- Edinburgh Princes Mall, Midlothian
- Epsom, Surrey
- Fareham, Hampshire
- Farnborough, Hampshire
- Glasgow Braehead, Lanarkshire
- Glasgow Fort, Lanarkshire
- Glasgow Silverburn, Lanarkshire
- Glasgow Station, Lanarkshire
- Grimsby, Lincolnshire
- Halifax, West Yorkshire
- Harlow, Essex
- Hastings, East Sussex
- Hempstead Valley, Kent
- High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
- Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
- Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Ilford, Greater London
- Ipswich, Suffolk
- Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight
- Islington, Greater London
- Kendal, Cumbria
- Kings Lynn, Norfolk
- Leeds White Rose, West Yorkshire
- Lewisham Centre, Greater London
- Lichfield, Staffordshire
- Loughborough, Leicestershire
- Luton, Bedfordshire
- Macclesfield, Cheshire
- Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
- Morpeth, Northumberland
- Newton Abbot, Devon
- Northampton, Northamptonshire
- Oldham, Greater Manchester
- Perth, Perthshire
- Peterborough Queensgate, Cambridgeshire
- Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Regent Street, Greater London
- Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Stafford, Staffordshire
- Stansted Airside, Essex
- Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
- Swansea, Glamorganshire
- Telford, Shropshire
- Thanet, Kent
- Trowbridge, Wiltshire
- Wakefield Trinity Walk, West Yorkshire
- Walthamstow, Greater London
- Wigan, Greater Manchester
- Woking, Surrey
- Wolverhampton, West Midlands
The ongoing restructuring reflects a critical juncture for The Body Shop, as it seeks to adapt to the evolving retail landscape and consumer preferences. By focusing on a reduced store footprint and bolstering its online and wholesale operations, The Body Shop aims to rejuvenate its brand and secure its future in a competitive market. The administrators express optimism that these measures will re-energize The Body Shop’s iconic brand, offering it a strong platform to achieve its ambitions as a modern, dynamic beauty brand capable of long-term profitability and competition. By concentrating on its core strengths and leveraging digital channels, The Body Shop aims to reconnect with its audience and continue its legacy of ethical beauty innovation.
As The Body Shop navigates through this transformative phase, the lessons learned from its journey offer valuable insights for the broader retail industry. The brand’s ability to evolve, while staying true to its foundational values of ethical practices and social activism, will be crucial in determining its place in the future of retail. However, the path to recovery may not be straightforward. Recent developments have introduced a new layer of complexity, with The Body Shop administrators investigating claims related to missing millions, as reported by The Telegraph.
