Lush, what is the point?!

[Gloriia]

Lush closing stores for 24hr 'in solidarity of Gaza'.

What a ridiculous empty gesture.

Surely a better idea would be to stay open for 24 hrs and donate all extra income to a Gazan charity, or close but all staff to attend an intifada with flasks and placards <'free palestine' naturally, do not mentions the hostages!>

I quite liked Lush I'll ensure to shop elsewhere going forward.

I don't think a Marathon or fundraising would make national news. Or cause you to write a thread about it. Profile raising is the most important thing at this moment.

Making a protest is surely better than doing nothing at all?

According to Lush's own website their expansion plans include Iran.

Amazing … well done LUSH

Of course it isnt what a ludicrous argument. Closing your shops is the definition of doing nothing. On that basis every shop should close permenently or otherwise they are doing nothing about children abducted by Russians in Ukraine, babies starving in Yemen, Sudan, human rights in DRC or Qatar, sex apartheid in Iran. Or is it only Gaza we're not allowed to do nothing about?

What? Haven't they heard of Yemen? They maybe haven't. I didn't see any soap dedicated to solidarity in yemen but I may be wrong.

Do they come out om solidarity for all conflicts or only ones involving Jews?

People in Gaza including children are being deliberately starved. Collecting money is no use because aid is being blocked by the Israelis. Many Jewish people are very shocked and joining the protests.

No one is being deliberately starved by anyone other than hamas.

That isn't what this thread is about though, it is about how giving your staff an extra day off can be classed as any form of protest. It is an empty gesture.

Unless they close for every conflict worldwide that involves hardship and malnutrition for civilians but if they do that they'll never open again. Maybe not a bad thing.

We need to protest about our government enabling genocide. I’m not trying to say that lush have done something brilliantly effective, but at least we are now having this conversation because of their action.

Perhaps they would have been better placed campaigning for the release of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas, which would bring the war to a close. Gestures like this only embolden Hamas.

Their fundraising is much broader than just watermelon soap. Their ‘Charity Pot’ (hand cream, I think), for example, raised millions and was split between causes across the globe. They have worked with Palestinian charities (seed banks and settler violence support) before the war so their interest in Palestinians suffering predates the war. They’re not jumping on some bandwagon - not everyone was clueless about the region pre 7/10.

For anyone interested: in 20/21 Charity Pot donated funds in the following way:

• 23% donated in the animal protection sector;
• 54% donated in the human rights sectors;
• 23% donated in the environmental sector.
• 10% of all Charity Pot donations in the 2020-2021 Financial Year went to organisations working with Migrants, Refugees and Displaced Peoples, and toward organisations working against Trafficking and Slavery.
• 6% of all Charity Pot donations went toward Animal Sanctuaries and Animal Rehoming.
• 5% of all donations went toward the Climate Change sector.
• 5% of all donations went toward organisations working toward Anti-Racism.
• 4% of all donations went toward organisations supporting, and campaigning for the rights of, LGBTQIA+ peoples.

If none of these causes connect with you,
don’t shop at LUSH. It’s simple.

'I’m not trying to say that lush have done something brilliantly effective, but at least we are now having this conversation because of their action'

It's been talked about since Oct 7th 2023! Look at all the threads on here, watch the news. The conflict is being discussed constantly and extensively.

Lush's little look at us virtue signalling gesture has added nothing other than maybe sell a few bath bombs to their supporters. A rather cheap and tacky publicity stunt.

And info about the watermelon soap including a very upsetting Save the Children report : https://weare.lush.com/lush-life/our-giving/watermelon/

A reminder that 100% of the profits went solely to projects providing urgently-needed professional mental health support, trauma counselling and art and play therapies for children in Gaza and the West Bank. Something that is desperately needed in the area and can make a difference to those children’s futures.

Next, 100% of the profits will go towards helping people in Gaza who need prosthetics. Another worthy cause in my mind that will be life changing for the children it helps.

If that’s not a cause you can get behind though, you can also save some bees, you can help protect the Amazon from forest fires, or support human rights in Mexico or forest conservation or donate to a children’s cancer.

Again, I’m not actually a huge fan of their products because the shop is so heavily scented and my days of lounging in the bath are sadly long gone but the uproar against a company that does so much good fundraising is surprising. No one is making you buy the soap. If you don’t want to support humans or animals or forests then go elsewhere.

Have you not watched the news videos showing mass starvation? Every international organisation including the UN and Oxfam condemn the Israeli blockades. Even Trump has seen the evidence and been convinced .

'If you don’t want to support humans or animals or forests then go elsewhere'

I want to support humans, animals and forests.

However apart from being an empty gesture to give staff an extra day off it is poorly worded 'in solidarity of gaza'. They should say 'end the conflict'. This would include all victims including the hostages and of course lets not forget <although Lush seem to have> the victims of Oct 7th.

Uefa, Lush, oap protesters they all need to change their narrative to end the conflict otherwise it kind of looks a bit biased.

But Palestinians can’t end the conflict and that’s who they are raising money for.

Hamas won’t end the conflict because they’re happy to die for their cause or will hide outside of Gaza and carry on living wealthy lifestyles whilst plotting/funding atrocities.

Israel don’t need to end the war necessarily as the reason they are at war makes sense - wipe out as many members of Hamas as possible. But Israel can help more aid get into Gaza and that’s what Palestinian civilians need. And that’s what LUSH are campaigning for. Better humanitarian aid for civilians. It’s one sided because one side need aid and only one side can help because they control the borders.

You can't be serious. We are talking about the ludicrousness of Lush. We have been talking about Gaza long before their stunt.

You see this is what I don't get and a classic example of it.

Of course Hamas can help. Of course pressure can be put on Hamas to give up the hostages, surrender, stop terrorising their people, stop disrupting aid and, god forbid, maybe actually help aid get to their population.

Why is Hamas always absolved and all resonsibility put onto Israel. Israel has responsibilities, yes, we all agree. So too does Hamas, the PA and all Palestinians and their allies

Can’t walk into Lush without feeling I’m going to pass out!
Agree with a PP. it would be far more sensible to donate 24 hours’ profits to MSF or the Red Cross if the company wants to help civilians in Gaza.

I understand that but isn’t it just being realistic about Islamic radicalism/jihadi culture? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to believe that terrorists who can do things like 7/10 aren’t going to listen to western powers or people telling them to surrender or ‘do the right thing’. They hate us all. They don’t care when people die. They’re happy to die. I don’t absolve Hamas, I just don’t see the point in applying pressure to a group who think the way they do. They’re being reason so why would they listen to it?

So we just give up and let the jihadis take over? I think thats bizarre tbh. And would result in the end of Israel. All the countries in the ME rely to a greater or lesser extent on trade with rhe West. Qatar and Saudi account for a huge proportion of UK arms sales. Look at all the sucking up we did to Qatar over football. Of course more could be done.
Its extraordinary to say to Israel. Look we know you are facing genocidal extremists who cant be reasoned with but theres's nothing anyone can do because they are genocidal extremists who cant be reasoned with so we think YOU should behave with the utmost reasonableness.
Perhals you can see why Israel is a bit pissed off?

What lush are saying to Israel is 'Stop Starving Gaza' it was there in big letters on their posters. Do you not agree with their message?

No, we remove the terrorists with military force. That’s one side. Then, re the civilians, you invest in deradicalisation programs, education, and you invest in humanitarian aid and causes more broadly so people don’t find comfort in the arms of terrorist recruiters. You certainly don’t withhold aid, or deny starvation when people are dying or support and fund settler violence or use dehumanising rhetoric and then expect the civilians to feel positively towards you. How does that logic work?

It’s in all the papers.
How often does Gaza get that these days !
So well done them!!!

Exactly