Christine Nicholson’s Post

‘I can’t believe The Body Shop is gone from our high streets..!’ I’m hearing so many people saying this … Well … notwithstanding this sad picture taken in Cheapside as two blokes loaded products into green tote boxes … The reality is that it isn’t! There’s a headline narrative out there that The Body Shop has sadly gone out of business (for a bunch of different reasons, depending on what you believe), and it isn’t true. Many UK stores will continue to trade - and it would seem that the Body Shop UK is not in administration because it is failing; and it will live on into the future. The UK business has always been highly profitable and the vast majority of stores make money. The figures that often get referred to in the media from Company House accounts about big losses, reflect the global business … not the UK. The administration of The Body Shop is NOT a story of a failing brand or the failing UK high street. That’s not to say the UK high street isn’t under pressure - from the squeeze on consumers and the lack of a level playing field in taxation… That is an important story … but it’s not this story! Helen Dickinson #brc #ukretail #beauty #beautyretail #thebodyshop #highstreet

The Body Shop - the rise and fall of an ethical company? I’m sure many people reading this will know the story of Anita and Gordon Roddick launching Body Shop nearly 50 years ago in Brighton. With the financial backing of a local garage owner, they started to grow the business. Gordon saw how franchises were helping businesses in the USA grow, and the Roddicks soon adopted this model. From the start, Anita promoted the brand as an ethical business, and even in the exciting eighties, this image helped the business so shares issued when the business was brought to the Stock Exchange in April 1984 grew by over 10,000% in the next eight years. I promote property and real estate as a sound investment, but I can’t think of any £100,000 property in 1984 even now being worth one billion pounds. Certainly my first house, bought in the same month of 1985 for £29,000, isn’t worth even £1 million! The advisors to L’Oreal let the company buy Body Shop in March 2006 for over £650 million. This was despite controversies in between as to how ethical Body Shop really was. Growth in value may have slowed after, but L’Oreal still pocketed nearly £230 million when they sold to Natura in 2017. But then things seem to have started a vicious downward spiral. It was only six years later that the company sold again - for £207 million. And now the company has gone into receivership. What this tells me is that people do actually value ethics and morals. It is very easy in many businesses to take short cuts to growth, some of which might miss trust and honesty, but an example in my own profession has shown that it doesn’t work. I believe that the public - and we’re all the public to other people - see through it, with unfortunate consequences. BIV Bowes Independent Surveyors has operated for nearly 33 years on a basis of honesty. #business #property #ethics

The news of Body Shop administration in the UK is hitting hard. What started as an endearing tale of a business founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick - a creative woman making skincare remedies in her kitchen, became a household name. Acquired by L'Oreal in 2006, it has become a high street staple. Now, in 2024, we know that Aurelius, the German company that bought The Body Shop for £207m in November 2023, said it had been unable to revive the fortunes of the business after dismal trading over Christmas and new year. But there's a lesson on business to be learned from Body Shop. Take a moment to reflect on their ethical business practices, #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting and community fair trade. In a world where customers want to know the heart behind the brand, Body Shop was a pioneer. Body Shop showed us that business wasn't just about making profit, but also about setting a conscious example and having a positive impact on people and the planet. So, while we mourn (what may become the end of an era), let's not forget the importance of responsible business practices, making ethical choices and placing people and the planet at the forefront of our pursuits. It may be that the core ethical principles of this brand may become it's saviour.

A consortium led by British tycoon Mike Jatania, along with Charles Denton, who previously led Molton Brown and Erno Laszlo, is close to purchasing The Body Shop. As I am sure all will know, it was founded in 1976 by ethical pioneer Anita Roddick, the brand has a rich history. Will this consortium prioritize ethical and sustainable practices to revitalize the brand and its consumer base? Could they consider #BCorps accreditation as a sign of commitment? Or will it be a straightforward private equity brand purchase and process? Genuinely interested to see what happens as the future of The Body Shop unfolds again under new ownership. #EthicalBusiness #Sustainability #BrandRevitalization 🌿🛍️

Frasers Group's £83 Million Mulberry Bid Rejected Mike Ashley's Frasers Group has made an £83 million offer to acquire Mulberry, a luxury handbag brand currently grappling with significant financial challenges. Highlights. Offer: £83 million at 130p per share. Rejection: Mulberry's board believes the bid undervalues the brand. Losses: Mulberry reported a £34.1 million loss, with revenues down 18%. Future Concerns: Growing doubts about Mulberry's survival. Founder’s View: Roger Saul suggests a fit with LVMH, not Frasers. Why It Matters: Frasers aims to avoid a Debenhams-like collapse. With mounting challenges in the luxury market, what’s next for Mulberry? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gx3KF53F #FrasersGroup #Mulberry #LuxuryFashion #Law #M&A

The business landscape over the past couple of years has been unforgiving, with decreased high-street footfall and increasing costs. But what can you learn from the popular brands that went under? From Wilko to The Body Shop, click the link below to discover the fundamental mistakes that led these businesses to their demise, so your business can avoid a similar fate. https://lnkd.in/eYG8dTru

The Body Shop is Closing Half of Its UK Stores! It means that combined with cost-cutting at the company's head office, between 750 and 800 people will be made redundant, while it files for bankruptcy in Canada! I have been using The Body Shop products very actively for the past few years, but only the quality of products can’t make any business model sustainable! This is a wake-up call for anyone who wants to succeed in the competitive and fast-changing retail industry. It was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, who had a vision to create a business that was good for people and the planet. But somewhere along the way, The Body Shop lost its edge. It was acquired by different owners, who diluted its brand identity and values. It lost its connection with its customers, its employees, and its purpose. And now, it's paying the price. The Body Shop is not the first, and certainly not the last, retail brand to face this fate. But it's a cautionary tale for anyone who wants to avoid it. So, what can you learn from The Body Shop's mistakes? Here are three key lessons: 🚩 Stay true to your core values, but don't be afraid to evolve. You need to constantly revisit them and align them with your customers' needs, your market opportunities, and your social impact. Don't let your values become a prison, let them be a guide. 🚩 Keep innovating and experimenting. The retail industry is dynamic and unpredictable. You need to constantly test new ideas, products, channels, and strategies. Don't let your success become a trap, let it be a catalyst. 🚩 Build a community, not just a customer base. The retail industry is crowded and competitive. You can't rely on your products or prices alone to stand out. You need to create a meaningful relationship with your customers, your employees, and your partners. Don't let your brand become a commodity, let it be a movement. These are the three lessons that I think The Body Shop could have followed to avoid its downfall. What do you think? #RetailCollapse #BusinessLessons #BrandIdentity #SustainableBusiness #RetailStrategy #InnovationInRetail #CommunityBuilding #BrandValues #RetailTrends #AnitaRoddick #TheBodyShop #RetailBankruptcy #CorporateDownfall #RetailIndustry

In 1992 I walked into a Covent Garden shop and quickly fell in love. Ted Baker had what were to my young Canadian eyes extremely stylish and fashionable clothing, and while the £ made my Canadian $ seem oh so small I splurged on some new threads. The quality was good and the product innovative, attractive, and durable with solid service. Ted Baker, the Glasgow based retailer had made a rather impressive scene in the UK #fashion world when they opened the Covent Garden flagship in 1990. The company went on to become a global success. Yet over the past weekend the notices came out that the brand owner is now planning to close all remaining shops in Britain making 245 full time staff redundant in the process. What happened? Firstly a botched #succession from founder Ray Kelvin to a leadership team not ready or able to execute it seems. Secondly a #Strategy which strayed far away from Quality and became a "low cost" high price seller repelled the formerly loyal customers. Ted Baker should never have ended up in the position it is in today, and I hope that all 245 full time employees in Britain are able to quickly find new high quality work. In terms of investors, board members, and managers, we need to all carefully consider: 1) Succession plans really make a difference to longevity 2) Strategy needs to be well aligned with customer and stakeholder expectations 3) Execution at speed and with quality is fundamental to long term success What do you think happened at Ted Baker ? Strategy is Mastery. https://lnkd.in/dTd3Gpif

Another junk fashion brand that squeezed suppliers and employees riding the elevator down. On the way down a few hedge funds or PE firms will attempt to "save" them. While it is simply impossible and too late for many firms, the only way to save themselves is to not be part of the race to the bottom that results from making poor quality products and paying people poor wages to do work. And for the betterment of the planet we don't need another similar brand to fill the void. Let them go. Start better. Start sustainable. For the planet. https://lnkd.in/eUuFsvby #climatechange #climateaction #fashionmess #sustainability

A sobering article, but some wisdom found, and reasons to be optimistic. Brilliant article and insights from Kirsty McGregor. MULTI BRAND ISN'T DEAD! Many luxury shoppers prefer a multi-brand environment that enables the mixing and matching of different aesthetics and the discovery of new names. Elizabeth von der Goltz. “We’ve got to a place where brands don’t trust retailers, so they’re trying to do it all on their own. But that’s not how a customer wants to shop.” She advises brands to consider a balance between DTC and finding strategic wholesale partners. Michael Kliger’s faith in the future of multi-brand retail has not wavered. “2023 was a tough year, and we have seen a pivotal moment where businesses that were already struggling fell apart. But there is a consumer out there that loves multi-brand.” TRYING TO BE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IS OVER! WE HAVE LEARNED THIS AT SEEK . RETAILERS ARE NOW LEARNING THIS. Mytheresa’s tight curation — it carries around 200 brands — means it’s not an easy nut to crack for emerging talent. “In general, because we are so highly curated, it’s tougher to be part of our portfolio than others. The mantra is that if a new brand comes in, one needs to go out. That doesn’t mean we don’t take new brands, but there needs to be a reason to have them in the portfolio.” “My number one priority is to not make the mistake of thinking MACHINE-A should one day become this global platform that tries to satisfy everyone and sell hundreds of brands. I believe this model is not viable. We need to focus on what we do best — offering something highly curated, interesting and unique that speaks to the customer on an emotional level instead of trying to satisfy everyone or become the next big thing. It’s about creating a special relationship with your loyal audience and evolving and increasing that audience in a healthy way.” Stavros Karelis IT WOULD APPEAR THE CASE, CONSIDERING MATCHES HAS 600 BRANDS, MR PORTER - UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SALE - HAS 460 BRANDS. END. HAS REDUCED FROM 700 TO 500 BRANDS. ADDED TO OTHER RECENT ARTICLES/INSIGHTS FROM Voo Store, LN-CC - FURTHER-PROOFING THE NEED FOR A TIGHT, UNIQUE CURATION. NEW PLAYERS ARE COMING TO TOWN TO TAKE MARKET SHARE! Italian luxury retailer MODES is expanding and plans to open its first-ever UK store later this year. “People are looking for a personalised, multi-brand experience where you can find different collaborations or exclusive products,” says Simon Whitehouse. Ryan Llewellyn-Pace is launching a multi-brand retailer dedicated to outerwear called Out With Style. 'We’ve done a lot of research on what the consumer is looking for, and essentially, it is more specialisms, rather than the mass multi-brand websites we see so much of today,” he explains, echoing Karelis. “We felt very strongly that there was a need to have fewer brands and be more purpose-specific. Consumers need to understand why it’s there. You can’t be everything to all people.'