The Body Shop Shuts Down US Stores

The Body Shop, a pioneering vegan beauty brand that was a staple of United States malls for over 30 years, has shut down its stores.

The company announced that as of March 1, its stores throughout the United States have closed. Additionally, the company disclosed plans to begin liquidation sales at 33 out of its 105 stores in Canada with immediate effect.

In November 2023, German private equity firm Aurelius bought The Body Shop for an estimated $266 million. The company aimed to restructure the business after the deal was finalized, according to a report from The Guardian. The company has been unable to revive the business’s fortunes after a dismal Christmas season in 2023.

The Body Shop’s German, Danish, Irish, and Belgian divisions have been put into insolvency. Operations in Spain, Sweden, France, and Austria are still being determined. Its Australian and New Zealand operations — which include nearly 100 stores — are also at risk.

Just two months ago, on Jan. 3, 2024, The Body Shop announced its 100% vegan achievement. It became the world’s first global beauty brand to offer 100% vegan product formulations certified by The Vegan Society.

This certification ranged across all store brands, including skincare, body care, hair care, makeup, and fragrance. The company set a target for itself in 2021 when 60% of its products carried The Vegan Society trademark.

“This accomplishment is an expression of our change-making ethos and goes back to our roots of championing animal welfare,” said Hilary Lloyd, VP of Brand and Activism at The Body Shop North America.

Due to high inflation hurting business, The Body Shop has shut down all of its U.S.-based operations and will be closing dozens of Canadian stores as it files for bankruptcy. https://t.co/e3q791dg35

— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) March 11, 2024

She added, “Offering a 100% vegan certified product portfolio is an achievement we have been working toward for years, not one we take lightly. Our hope is that more global beauty brands follow suit and realize the ways in which natural-origin, vegan, cruelty-free beauty can benefit our people and our planet without compromising product efficacy.”

Dame Anita Roddick founded The Body Shop in 1976 in Brighton, England.