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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder what happened to Body Shop?

437 replies

Handbaghag · 26/08/2019 17:46

Where have they gone wrong? Why are their shops so dead on the high Street. They were buzzing in the 80s. Is it online shopping? Lush?

OP posts:
MissCharleyP · 27/08/2019 11:58

Rbee1574 Fair enough, I’m willing to try next time I need some make up.

Titsywoo · 27/08/2019 11:58

HSRH - it was at the outlet at Wembley and if you bought 3 items or more you got 40% off

Titsywoo · 27/08/2019 11:58

And it was in June this year

QuimReaper · 27/08/2019 12:01

The Body Shop are the worst for discontinuing beloved products, as evidenced by this thread. I used to love their oat and honey mask, they always really pushed it too as an OMG-Amazing-Bestselling-Holy-Grail Product, then they just yanked it one day and replaced it with an inferior and far more expensive range of face masks. Thank goodness they still do the Tea Tree mask, but to be honest, I've now started using Queen Helene Mint Julep which is cheaper and just as good, if not better, so I think I won't buy the Tea Tree one again on principle.

The most mystifying thing they've done recently is to their cotton headbands. I find those headbands essential for face washing and curiously difficult to come by, so used to buy the BS one. One day I put one in my order to replace one that had got ratty, and when it arrived it had absolutely no stretch and was too small to get over my head Confused I actually took it into the store to return it as I was so baffled, and the sales ladies couldn't believe it either, one of them even opened one of the other ones on the shelf to check mine wasn't some kind of freak. They were passing it around, wondering at what a weird decision it was. Loads of people have commented on the same thing on the product reviews on their website, but TBS just don't seem to care.

I think part of the problem also is that for a few years they were so aggressive with their discounting, I would always wait until I could get 40% off to order, and now won't pay full price, and even 25% off seems stingy. It wasn't a very good marketing decision and they've scaled it back now, but the damage is done for a lot of people. I even remember a thread running here at one point titled something like "AIBU to think the Body Shop will be paying me to shop there soon?!"

QuimReaper · 27/08/2019 12:03

This is the headband. Check out the reviews. Bizarre...

gubbsywubbsy · 27/08/2019 12:05

Are you kidding ?? It's a mlm now !!

LadyGodivasCat · 27/08/2019 12:17

I used to like it when it was cruelty free, but stopped once they sold out to L’Oreal. I’ve been back in since they were sold on again and was surprised at the prices.

In saying that, you have to be vigilant when buying cruelty free. I think a lot of people assume that the big brands are cruelty free when they’re not, as they sell in China which requires animal testing. There’s some good websites that keep updated lists of cruelty free brands.

MissCharleyP · 27/08/2019 12:22

QuimReaper I get towelling headbands from John Lewis if that’s any help?

LipSyncForYourLife · 27/08/2019 12:28

I used to love their pink grapefruit shower gel but I went elsewhere and cheaper in the end. The only product I consistently bought for years in Bodyshop was mens aftershaving gel as it really calmed down skin irritation. Then they discontinued it and replaced it with some poncey cucumber spritz spray. Yeah that’s really going to stop my skin from feeling like it’s on fire!

Cherrysoup · 27/08/2019 12:29

@movingintherightdirection

Please, please, help us! So many people are asking for the passionfruit cleansing gel, it was my comfort when I left home. You have influence, show your colleagues this thread. If you brought it back, it would be sold out immediately!

If you brought back refills, I think loads of people would return to the brand. I think TBS risks losing a place on the high street otherwise.

chipsandgin · 27/08/2019 12:32

Pricey for what it is and a bit shit. They haven’t moved with the times - if they focussed on becoming (or ironically going back to being with the refills) a bit eco & did more ‘natural’ stuff it would help.

As it is they don’t seem to care, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go under soon.

FantasticPhyllis · 27/08/2019 12:38

I'm probably repeating pp but my issue is that the staff don't leave me alone and there is always a discount code somewhere for ordering online so when I want to buy products from there (I like the camomile stuff and their make up - especially the bronzer) I just order online - the shop is basically a showroom for me, I might browse in order to test the products but I never buy instore

petyeti · 27/08/2019 12:55

There was one body butter that was amazing and the scent was incredible. It was a nut one. They don't sell it anymore. All the body butters now are shite.

petyeti · 27/08/2019 12:59

Think it was Brazil nut. My god that smelt good

AllFourOfThem · 27/08/2019 13:09

It’s become a MLM which I avoid out of principle.

PancakeAndKeith · 27/08/2019 13:30

USP - FOREVER AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING and has been since Body Shop began.

USP - ETHICAL research development and product and environmental ethics.

Sorry but neither of these unique selling points are unique anymore.

QuimReaper · 27/08/2019 13:35

@MissCharleyP Thank you, yes! I'm always looking for one just the right size and level of tightness! I just had a squizz on their website but couldn't find any, I'll have a look next time I'm in there though. This one looks good, but is sold out.

Graphista · 27/08/2019 13:40

"Anita Roddick didn't "sell out".
She died. She had a stroke and died a year later."

Er...I think you'll find Anita was very much involved in the sale to l'oreal

startups.co.uk/gordon-roddick-why-we-sold-the-body-shop-to-loreal/

www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Article/2006/11/03/Body-Shop-owner-defends-selling-to-L-Oreal

As many pps I boycotted when the ethical principles that attracted me (and many others as is obvious on this thread) were sold out. Was so disappointed at that decision, dreadful choice to make both ethically and business wise I'd say. And to then descend into mlm nonsense...another bad idea imo.

I'm currently housebound so must ask dd but certainly when I was up to going out our "local" branches (in which I include those in nearest city) were almost every time I passed them empty except for the staff. I'm amazed they're still operational!

I've occasionally browsed to see what products they have and prices and completely agree they're also now massively overpriced and not stocking products people want to buy. Back in the 80's when I was a fan the prices were much more "pocket money friendly" dd is make up/toiletry mad and doesn't begrudge paying more for good products yet I notice she never buys any body shop stuff.

Iamthewombat · 27/08/2019 13:55

Actually I am considering buying the pink grapefruit body yogurt to try, after reading this thread!

treeplop · 27/08/2019 14:10

For me it died when I discovered that "Dewberry" wasn't a real berry. The trust was gone. (I must have been about 16!)

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 27/08/2019 14:16

treeplop yes it is! It's a bit like a blackberry, probably much less common, but they definitely exist!

gilliansgardenbench · 27/08/2019 14:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fruityb · 27/08/2019 14:19

They’re trained to pounce bless them - id hate having to do that.

They’re not pouncing in store to sign you up for MLM though. They are told to. I leave any place that does it or I firmly say “I’m good thanks!”

Fruityb · 27/08/2019 14:20

And some stuff is cruelty free -‘I’ve noticed the strawberry shampoo had the bunny on but the banana didn’t.

anitagreen · 27/08/2019 14:26

I think people would rather use lush now I know my age group early 20s go to lush, body shop now is seen as a bit older and the products are crap you can get the same stuff in Superdrug or boots for a fraction and plus it's sold everywhere now even on Facebook.