Lush, what is the point?!

Just so your thread is not a complete and utter waste of internet, here is the link to purchase the fundraising soap for any other posters who may want to buy it:

www.lush.com/uk/en/p/watermelon-slice-soap?queryId=5462953bef47e26c1480960ce9d579ae

Interesting that the OP just didn’t reply to my post asking if they’d purchased the soap lush are fund raising with, but continues to reply to other people about how a fund raiser would be better.

almost like this post was not posted in good faith, eh?

Hey OP - you are talking about how a fundraiser would be more helpful. Lush ARE fundraising through sales of one of their watermelon soaps. Are you planning on buying, or have you already bought, one in order to support their fundraising, or are you just here with the faux wide eyed naivety about duvet days, when other PP have already explained the logic behind closing for the day?

Who is going to go into the shop through the night??

expecting staff to go hold signs is unreasonable

Chest binders. Jeez. One day folks will look back at that barbarism and shake the heads as to how people could’ve celebrated it as a good thing. Poor girls. People supporting that - and Lush - should be ashamed.

Exactly. Which is their right

I’d be a pretty rubbish rep - the shop smell gives me a headache!

I don’t understand why people waste energy getting so annoyed with this situation though, especially without reading the actual information. Their watermelon soap raised money for a Gazan children’s mental health charity and they’re making it again but to raise money for children in Gaza who need prosthetic limbs. Hopefully we can at the very least agree that that’s two very worthy causes. So they have ticked off fundraising already and I’d invite everyone to buy some watermelon soap.

Closing for a day is a different form of support for the innocent people of Gaza - a small gesture but not empty. They are a relatively well known UK business making a point and it’s got decent media coverage. It’s raises awareness of their fundraising at the very least. If you think it’s pointless, fine, but Lush isn’t forcing you to do anything. It’s offering anyone who cares to buy soap and donate to good causes.

Well they are making that choice. They shut the shop for Gaza.

Lush staff work shifts.

so it’s not really “a day off”. It will be taken into account in their shift pattern.

Also, you keep saying “stay open for 24 hours” and donate the profits. But they would have to pay staff and utility costs for these opening hours and, realistically, how many sales do you think they’ll be making at midnight? 2am? 4am?

it’s about everyone using their voices in anyway they can to highlight what’s going on. “Do nothing” isn’t an option and Lush (whose product I don’t personally purchase) are being creative (some might say, controversial!) to prompt people to talk about it. I don’t think they’ve done a bad job.

You are presuming that a company who give millions to charity every year won't pay their staff? A quick Google would have course have told you that staff were paid, it is mentioned in many articles.

So you think a few cents of tax to the UK government is going to help the situation in Gaza? Would it not be better to donate the cost of the soap directly to Gaza relief?

The Co founder of Lush was clear on this “It would be nice to be able to pay for food to go into Gaza, rather than just sacrificing [profits].” It's almost as if some people here haven't seen the news at all over the past few montha and aren't aware that the problem isn't lack of money, it's Israel intentionally starving civilians. It goes to show that much more awareness is still needed on this topic.

To be honest, anything that gains headlines is worth it if it’s raising publicity and putting more pressure on the government to intervene re the situation in Gaza. I’m stunned that so many people have so many problems about everything, when the main issue is that Israel is committing a genocide. Maybe opening for 24 hours and donating all profits to Palestine would have been better, but then they could have been accused of using the situation to increase footfall into their stores. I’m happy to see any big brand come out in support of Gaza. We are watching the slaughter of innocent citizens on our phone and TV screens every day and it has to stop.

(before anyone comes at me, I condemn Hamas wholeheartedly and also believe Hamas should release the hostages)

Yup. It's not about what they are doing it's who they are doing it for that people have a problem with.

Hello Lush PR rep. So you think a few cents of tax to the UK government is going to help the situation in Gaza? Would it not be better to donate the cost of the soap directly to Gaza relief? Nobody over 14 wants those godawful stinky soaps and lotions anyway.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention @Gloriia.

I'll be buying the watermelon soap now and making sure to support Lush from now on.

Presumably the staff won’t get paid when the shops and factories are shut? Haven’t seen this mentioned on the news reports.

I hope the staff still got paid.

Judging by the lineup of mumsnetters on this thread lambasting Lush for giving support to the starving people of Gaza
Its clear why they are against them

same old same old 🥱

We’re all allowed to chose who we want to donate to
Thats not a choice others make for us

I stopped going in there when they were associated with protests involving cutting airport fences and getting onto runways etc. Can't remember what the actual cause were they were supporting.

Can we all just take a moment to get back to the truth. Lush didn’t give away chest binders to children with or without mental health issues. They offered them to people who paid a £7 donation to a trans charity. Basically, people could buy them for £7. There was no praying on vulnerable people or forcing views on children, it was fundraising. I don’t necessarily agree with chest binding for health reasons but no one forced me into a LUSH and attacked me with a binder. They didn’t lure my kids into corner and show them binder options. So why not just move on if a cause doesn’t suit your own views. It doesn’t have to be the end of the world.

LUSH have raised money for many important causes over the years: homeless shelters, refugee support services, hospices, care homes, women’s shelters, anti animal testing, environmental causes - plenty to feel positive about. I understand not every charity/cause may be one you want to support. some you might be actively against.
But if you don’t like what they’re trying to do, don’t buy the product. It’s that simple. We don’t all need to get up in arms about it - it’s such a waste of energy!

They won't t do this, just flag waving for Gaza 🤔