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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:
sunnybeachtime · 27/08/2019 21:09
Hmm
Fraggling · 27/08/2019 21:12

I'm relatively sure body shop didn't do mlm / home stuff / pyramid when I was growing up in 80s and 90s

If that is their model now I too will stop shopping there. These schemes exploit women and are a total shit show tbh

Idontlikethatship · 27/08/2019 21:12

Every time I find an product I like, they discontinue it. Theres nothing left in there i like to buy 😥

gilliansgardenbench · 27/08/2019 21:14

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sunnybeachtime · 27/08/2019 21:15

I'm seeing a lot of negativity around the mlm aspect of the body shop.

Mate, you forgot to upload a picture of the new Audi you got with this weeks sales of awe-inspiring products.

gilliansgardenbench · 27/08/2019 21:22

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gemmagilbert · 27/08/2019 21:23

Some people make a lot some don't, just like any job.
I'm certainly not claiming I make loads of money. I still work part time elsewhere. I do it mainly because I love the products. Don't seem any harm in that. Xx

IcedPurple · 27/08/2019 21:27

The body shop at home is an incredible company and yes it's had its rough patch but the things they are doing now for the community and environment is so awe inspiring. Xx

kenandbarbie · 27/08/2019 21:28

I miss the little baskets we used to have made up for friends birthdays. I liked the little smelly balls.

gilliansgardenbench · 27/08/2019 21:30

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Honeyroar · 27/08/2019 21:31

I love Bodyshop again nowadays, after years of avoiding it due to Loreal. The Brazilian company have much better morals and are more like the old Body shop. I like their loyalty scheme (£5 rewards seem to pop up frequently) and that they give you vouchers for returning their plastic bottles/tubs. This week I've had a £5 voucher for my birthday, a £5 voucher for loyalty points and a £5 voucher because I brought five plastic pots back. Then there were good sales on, so I got a lot of products for not a lot of money. I don't find the assistants over powering either (and I really don't like being hassled!). I think their body butters are amazing plus they seem to have a lot of new shampoos that are wonderful (especially the green tea one!).

Ps, No I don't work for them.

gemmagilbert · 27/08/2019 21:31

@IcedPurple ?

IcedPurple · 27/08/2019 21:33

Sorry, I'd attached a photo and it didn't upload.

So all I'll say is that you do yourself no favours by overstating your case.

"the things they are doing now for the community and environment is so awe inspiring. Xx" Awe inspiring? Really? Could you provide details?

gilliansgardenbench · 27/08/2019 21:34

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheRLodger · 27/08/2019 21:35

A lot of my skincare is from the body shop however I only buy when on sale and then bulk buy to last me. I only buy what I like I never try other stuff. The only reason why I go there is because I know it works well for my skin and I’m afraid to spend money attempting to go elsewhere.

TeaAddict235 · 27/08/2019 21:38

Lots of pp keep saying that their products are really expensive nowadays in comparison to the 80-90s. The price of raw materials for production has also increased. E.g. the bananas for the shampoo per kilogram will have increased as the workers may be paid better due to fairer trade, the cost of exporting and importing, the cost of transportation (oil!!!) costs money. Trade and tax laws put a price on our products.

The titanium dioxide or the mica in the make up isn't from the comfortable UK, it's from a mine or processing line in a developing country.

The oil extracts are expensive as they are sourced from fruit and vegetable (plant based). Plants need to grow, they do Not produce the fruit all year round....unless in growth halls, which have to be built and then who pays? The end user.

Of course the cost of the items will have increased significantly, as we in developed countries demand better rights for the employees (more responsible pay and working conditions) then the end user must pay for those rights.

Snoopdogsbitch · 27/08/2019 21:39

Awe inspiring. Don't make me laugh. An acquaintance of mine started up Body shop at Home- her facebook account is full of constant pressure to buy, get it now and ' raffles' . Yawn. I disengaged.

I did try to support her in the beginning - got some make-up but not very impressed: foundation quite drying and cream blush has zero staying power and they're not cheap. Far better to go to Superdrug - lots of cruelty free products at a variety of prices.

I asked about shampoo/ conditioner for sensitive skin and there's nothing! Eco credentials also shaky.

gemmagilbert · 27/08/2019 21:42

@IcedPurple oh 😂

Yes of course. Firstly there is the charity the Anita set up called Children on the edge and The Body Shop does a hell of a lot to raise money for it.

There's the community trade scheme where they use source ingredients from places all over the world with the aim to empower them. Every company that The Body Shop works with goes through a ethical standards check which takes a good 6 months. This is to ensure all the employees get paid a fair wage, have safe working conditions, have basic facilities likes toilets etc. It's a hand up and not a hand up.

Last Christmas they donated money from every single purchase between October and December to The woodland trust to help build bio bridges, one is Armenia and one in wye valley.

They have recently launched a community trade plastic scheme. They are working with a company in India to recycle plastic so it's helping to get plastic off the streets and in the seas/oceans.

They have just started the recycling scheme where you can take you empty plastic back to store and earn £5 voucher for every five products returns.

They are dramatically reducing the amount of plastic usage, this Christmas there is barely any to be seen.

They have gone back to the original purpose that Anita first started with. It's going to take time but I'm in awe and I'm so proud to be associated with them.

This probably isn't everything but it's all I can think of at the moment!

Sorry for the essay. Xx

IcedPurple · 27/08/2019 21:43

E.g. the bananas for the shampoo per kilogram will have increased as the workers may be paid better due to fairer trade, the cost of exporting and importing, the cost of transportation (oil!!!) costs money.

Oil prices are pretty low at the moment. As for bananas, the amount of actual banana - or any other natural ingredient - that goes into these products is minute. And the cost of the actual product is always a small % of the overall price when it comes to beauty and toiletries.

But the real point is that when TBS came out first there was very little choice in such products, so they were offering something new and exciting. Now, every Superdrug, Tesco's or even Poundland has a bewildering variety of shower gels, handcream, lip balm etc for a fraction of what TBS charge. They have no USP and as a result are losing their market share.

IcedPurple · 27/08/2019 21:45

This probably isn't everything but it's all I can think of at the moment!

Quite a lot for someone who just happened upon this thread....

And there's nowt 'awe-inspring' about that. Most big companies have some kind of 'giving back to the community' initiative. Mostly PR. Do you honestly want us to believe your jaw dropped open with amazement and awe upon hearing of these schemes?

mummabubs · 27/08/2019 21:46

I started boycotting them when they were sold to L'Oreal as I'm a Nestlé boycotter and they own L'Oreal. However I wasn't aware that they've since been sold to another company so would consider going back in- I'm glad I read this thread now!

gemmagilbert · 27/08/2019 21:49

@Snoopdogsbitch just because it doesn't inspire you doesn't mean it can't inspire me though. There's no need to be rude, it's just a conversation.

I totally get how annoying it must be to see constant posts you're not interested in, I'm very conscious of that and try to limit posts as much as I can but at the end of the day this is my business and I need to make money from it.

That's why unfollow is such a useful tool. If you're not interested, don't follow. Of course the products aren't going to be liked by everyone, all personal preference.

I'm literally just trying to share my options from this side and show how it's not awful like people think. Xx

Idontlikethatship · 27/08/2019 21:52

Agree with stone rabbit. Can we get the rainforest shampoos/conditioners back? Cant find anything else that makes my hair so shiny.

gemmagilbert · 27/08/2019 21:52

@IcedPurple there's really no need to be rude about it. I'm sorry you dislike my choice in words but yes I am amazed. I think it's all amazing when companies give back. I don't read about other companies so I haven't got a clue what they do. If I didn't find it exciting then I would be doing it. Xx

IcedPurple · 27/08/2019 21:54

I think it's all amazing when companies give back.

Some would say you are being rather naive.