The Body Shop Ceases US Operations & Files for Bankruptcy

The Body Shop has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada. The move comes less than two weeks after the company closed 75 locations in the UK

The Body Shop halted its US-based operations on March 1 and is closing dozens of its Canadian stores. The company will begin liquidating 33 of its 105 stores in Canada.

Founded by Anita Roddick in 1976, the company was as well known for its vigorous support of issues such as conservation and voting rights, as it was for its cleansers and soaps. The Body Shop became a Certified B Corp in 2019. It marketed clean products in refillable packaging—and by 2023 it had expanded to more than 2,500 retail locations in over 80 countries.

But even the biggest cosmetic giants couldn't save the brand. L'Oreal purchased The Body Shop in 2006, and Natura became its new owner in 2017—before selling to Aurelius last year because it was struggling to maintain profitable growth.

Throughout the years, the company advanced its mission to do good by helping to register first-time voters, developing refillable packaging with refill stations in its US stores, and achieving the gold standard in vegan certification for all its products.  

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