2,000 jobs at risk as Sussex-founded business The Body Shop goes into administration

The update follows news that FRP Advisory was brought in to help restructure the company just weeks after it had been bought out by new owners, for the third time since Littlehampton-born founder Anita Roddick sold the company in 2006.

The Body Shop has some 200 stores in high streets up and down the country, including Chichester, Brighton, Worthing, and Crawley, and Sky News has reported that 100 stores could be at risk as restructuring begins.

A statement from The Body Shop makes clear that "Administrators will now consider all options to find a way forward for the business and will update creditors and employees in due course,” and the business will continue to trade both online and instore while the process continues.

The news tallies with the words of Sussex-based expert Nick Stockley, a commercial law expert at Mayo Wynne Baxter. Speaking to Sussex World yesterday, he said ‘underperforming’ stores could be at risk as the business seeks to cut costs and slim down its holdings, and may even try to focus on trading more online, despite its long-standing niche on British high streets.

The brand has a long history in Sussex, maintaining an international office in Littlehampton, and having opened its first ever store in Brighton in 1976.

"Taking this approach provides the stability, flexibility and security to find the best means of securing the future of The Body Shop and revitalizing this iconic British brand. The Joint Administrators will now consider all options to find a way forward for the business and will update creditors and employees in due course,” the statement continues.

“The Body Shop remains guided by its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand, relevant to customers and able to compete for the long term. Creating a more nimble and financially stable UK business, is an important step in achieving this.

"The Body Shop has faced an extended period of financial challenges under past owners, coinciding with a difficult trading environment for the wider retail sector. Having taken swift action in the last month, including closing down The Body Shop At Home and selling its business across most of Europe and in parts of Asia, focusing on the UK business is the next important step in The Body Shop’s restructuring.”

The chain, which is a well-loved staple of British high street centres, was acquired by private equity firm Aurelius in a deal worth £207 million, having been previously owned by Natura – a cosmetics company based in Brazil – and, before that, L’Oreal, which sold the company in 2017.