Body Shop Set to Close 75 Stores, Hundreds to Lose Jobs
The Body Shop is set to close 75 of its UK stores in the coming weeks, resulting in the redundancy of 489 jobs, as part of the company’s restructuring efforts overseen by FRP Advisory. This move, coupled with cost-cutting measures at the company’s head office, will lead to a total of 750 to 800 people being made redundant. Despite these closures, The Body Shop plans to maintain operations at 116 stores in the UK.
Following the entry of the UK arm of The Body Shop into administration earlier this month, FRP Advisory is actively managing the restructuring process. The affected shops are expected to shut down over the next four to six weeks. FRP Advisory assured its commitment to supporting impacted staff through the claims process to the Redundancy Payments Service.
Tony Wright, representing FRP Advisory, stated, “In taking swift action to right-size The Body Shop UK store portfolio, we have stabilized the business. We remain fully focused on exploring all options to take the business forward.”
As administrators work to salvage viable aspects of the business, it was revealed last week that up to half of The Body Shop’s stores in the UK would be closed. The decision to downsize reflects the challenges faced by the company, which was once a pioneer in natural beauty products and animal-friendly practices.
Founded in 1976 by the late Dame Anita Roddick, The Body Shop gained popularity for its ethical stance against animal testing. However, since its acquisition by French beauty giant L’Oreal in 2006, followed by subsequent changes in ownership, the company has struggled to maintain its earlier success. In late 2023, private equity firm Aurelius acquired The Body Shop, leading to the decision to place its UK arm in administration due to poor sales over the Christmas and January period.
The list of UK stores set for closure includes various locations across the country, marking a significant shift for The Body Shop and reflecting broader challenges within the beauty retail industry.
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