Body Shop Retail Strategy
THE BODY SHOP
RETAIL STRATEGY
INTRODUCTION
The Body Shop International plc, known as The Body Shop, has 2,400 stores in 61 countries, and is the second largest cosmetic franchise in the world, following O Boticario, a Brazilian company. The Body Shop is headquartered in Little Hampton, West Sussex, and England, was founded in 1976 by the late Dame Anita Roddick and is now part of the L’Oreal corporate group. The Body Shop is a manufacturer and retailer of skin and hair care products based on natural ingredients. The company employs over 4000 employees. The Body Shop made £604.4 million in worldwide retail sales, a turnover of £293.1 million and an operating profit of £38.1 million in the fifty-two weeks ended 28 February 1998.
The original company to produce and sell naturally based products; it created a whole new market sector. With over 400 skin and hair care products and over 500 personal hygiene and accessory items it is estimated that between 1997 and 1998 a sale was made every 0.4 seconds with over 86 million customers visiting The Body Shop stores worldwide. Presently, the company’s Chief Executive Officer is Patrick Gournay and Anita Roddick, The Body Shop’s founder, is Co-Chairperson with her husband, Gordon Roddick
HISTORY
“You’ve got to be hungry – for ideas, to make things happen and to see your vision made into reality.”
The history of The Body Shop starts with its founder, Anita Roddick. The daughter of Italian immigrants, she grew up helping her parents run the family café. Having made travel her dream and ambition, when she was old enough she went to work for the International Labour Office of the United Nations in Geneva, on a Kibbutz in Israel and at the International Herald Tribune in Paris. Through these occupations she fulfilled her dream and travelled the world. It was through this travelling that Anita was exposed to exotic countries such as Mauritius, Polynesia and Tahiti. Witnessing the women’s skin and
RETAIL STRATEGY
INTRODUCTION
The Body Shop International plc, known as The Body Shop, has 2,400 stores in 61 countries, and is the second largest cosmetic franchise in the world, following O Boticario, a Brazilian company. The Body Shop is headquartered in Little Hampton, West Sussex, and England, was founded in 1976 by the late Dame Anita Roddick and is now part of the L’Oreal corporate group. The Body Shop is a manufacturer and retailer of skin and hair care products based on natural ingredients. The company employs over 4000 employees. The Body Shop made £604.4 million in worldwide retail sales, a turnover of £293.1 million and an operating profit of £38.1 million in the fifty-two weeks ended 28 February 1998.
The original company to produce and sell naturally based products; it created a whole new market sector. With over 400 skin and hair care products and over 500 personal hygiene and accessory items it is estimated that between 1997 and 1998 a sale was made every 0.4 seconds with over 86 million customers visiting The Body Shop stores worldwide. Presently, the company’s Chief Executive Officer is Patrick Gournay and Anita Roddick, The Body Shop’s founder, is Co-Chairperson with her husband, Gordon Roddick
HISTORY
“You’ve got to be hungry – for ideas, to make things happen and to see your vision made into reality.”
The history of The Body Shop starts with its founder, Anita Roddick. The daughter of Italian immigrants, she grew up helping her parents run the family café. Having made travel her dream and ambition, when she was old enough she went to work for the International Labour Office of the United Nations in Geneva, on a Kibbutz in Israel and at the International Herald Tribune in Paris. Through these occupations she fulfilled her dream and travelled the world. It was through this travelling that Anita was exposed to exotic countries such as Mauritius, Polynesia and Tahiti. Witnessing the women’s skin and