Nice-smelling soaps and easy gifts for your friends and family — that’s what The Body Shop brings to the table. What more could you ask for?
However, there’s bad news for UK fans of The Body Shop. The Body Shop’s British business has been put into administration, meaning that the business could potentially be sold. Or worse, all of its stores in the UK will be closed.
The good news is that Singapore’s branches of The Body Shop are not affected by The Body Shop UK’s financial problems.
The Body Shop UK Put Into Administration
The Body Shop is known for promoting natural, ethically sourced products and renouncing animal testing.
Walk into just about any of its branches in Singapore, and you’ll likely see a massive sign outside the store stating “Forever Against Animal Testing”.
It’s an excellent way to market one’s products, but it’s also difficult to sustain in an era where ethical sourcing is in the spotlight.
It’s like trying to market homemade cookies during COVID-19 when everyone was selling homemade cookies and other baked goods — competition is stiff, and it isn’t easy to differentiate your cookies.
And that is precisely what The Body Shop UK has been struggling with.
In recent years, The Body Shop UK has struggled with profitability and sales amidst growing competition in ethical cosmetics.
When everyone is selling ethical cosmetics, it isn’t easy to differentiate yourself simply by saying that you, too, sell ethical cosmetics.
Thanks to that, prospects are bleak for The Body Shop UK — The Body Shop’s British business has been put into administration, putting 2,000 British jobs at risk.
The Body Shop Singapore: Business As Usual
However, Singapore’s The Body Shop stores are not affected by The Body Shop UK being put into administration.
According to the brand’s spokeswoman, all 30 stores in Singapore will remain open.
Shiok. You can continue buying their discounted items to gift for your friend’s birthdays.
While The Body Shop Singapore appears to be able to tide this one through, not all businesses can say the same.
For one, KidZania Singapore had to cease its operations due to business challenges worsened by COVID-19.
Robinsons, the homegrown department store that was all the hype among aunties and uncles, also closed permanently in 2021 due to cost pressures.
And for the sports enthusiasts, many found themselves immensely disappointed four years ago when news broke that Sportslink announced its closure. The sports retail chain had to cease operations due to accumulated debts to its creditors.
