If only they made pale foundation and black lipstick... (The Body Shop)

Member Name: LRWade

Product:	The Body Shop
Date:	27/10/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Please see review.

Disadvantages: Please see review.

I am not a body shop employee and I have never worked for them, I'm just a happy customer.

The Body Shop (TBS) has been the subject of severe criticism since its beginnings in 26 March 1976, from the inspirations for its creation to its "natural product" claims, its level of fair trading to its activism against animal testing and for a positive body image. The good is proclaimed by sceptics to be corporate lies or statistical fiddling, the bad is shouted from the highest rooftops and rammed in the faces of consumers using all available media, and the neutral is spun in a bad light be default. Even after the death of the founder, Anita Roddick, there has been no cessation of fire. Few other companies have been attacked on such a personal level. Despite this, TBS has survived for over 30 years, and through its ups and down has evolved from a single, pseudo-hippy shop in Brighton where bottles were recycled due to low stock, to the world-wide success it is today with " over 2,400 stores in 61 countries, with a range of over 1,200 products" (*). So what is it doing right?

*PRODUCTS*

Naturally, the single most important thing in the success of a company is the produce. Many new companies produce high quantities of low quality products-a very successful strategy involving high turnovers of low profits, cumulating in an overall high profit margin and repeat business is almost assured. TBS are a company that work the other way. It began with a limited range of high quality products, selling fewer numbers of products but giving high profits, high enough to allow expansion. There is now a far larger range of products, still with the same high quality and selling in far larger quantities. What was a good business strategy, equal to any other, has turned into a super strategy.

If you're a regular user of TBS, ask yourself why? To me TBS brand represents assured quality. There are ranges that you will find every time you go into a store, the facial care, hair care, body care, fragrance and make up have a large selection of products that are unchanging. But there are also seasonal ranges, limited edition make up comes out every season and limited edition body care products will appear at least yearly. Some of these (like the body focus cellulite products) come and go but others (like the extremely popular wild cherry range) are put into regular circulation.

Regardless of regular or limited edition status, I have never come across a body shop product that was of low quality. Sure, there have been some that I don't like, some scents that really turn me off, and even some that my skin hasn't liked, but the quality of the products remains consistent. I find this to be rare in the world of cosmetics, especially seasonal produce; I often find it to be higher priced and lower quality. But when purchasing from TBS I know I won't be disappointed, and to me, as a customer, that is really important for repeat business.

*ETHICS*

I won't be giving any numerical data here, it's simply not consistent enough. Depending on the view of the author, any statistics quoted in an article on TBS is skewed either to demonise or praise the efforts of TBS in its ethical values and campaigns.

ANIMAL TESTING: The most well known value of TBS is that it is completely against animal testing. None of the ingredients or products are tested on animals and it funds organisations that campaign for alternative testing. It was a loud voice in the very long campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetic purposes (which the EU have banned for ingredients in 2004 and products in 2009). Despite the controversy of the L'Oreal takeover, it continues to stick to these values unwaveringly.

COMMUNITY TRADE: TBS offers what it calls a fair deal to community traders that supply their ingredients, gifts and accessories. The premise is that if suppliers stick to their Code of Conduct (I am unable to find out exactly what that is) they offer a "stable, long term income", i.e. they will buy at least a minimum amount per year giving a fixed income. This is not a novel idea but TBS have been doing this since long before it was fashionable to be an ethical company.

SELF ESTEEM: This is a very shady area, and in my opinion it is simply corporate filler. There have been some campaigns, including the famous size 16 fashion doll poster "there are 3 billion women who don't look like supermodels and only 8 who do" (**) which had to be abandoned due to a law suit by Mattel.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL: These campaigns include HIV, domestic violence, sex trafficking...the campaigns often raise money through sales of campaign items ("soft hands kind heart" hand cream for example) and raising awareness through advertising.

What I like most about the campaigns is that they tell you exactly how much in £ will be donated to the charity etc and that amount is usually around 75% of the price.

Whatever your views on certain ethical issues, it is hard to ignore the fact that TBS has made a large impact on those that it chooses to fight. There are many people who claim that TBS has not made nearly enough of a contribution to charity, it doesn't buy as much fair trade as it could and often abandons campaigns in the middle of them. I would completely agree that there is so much more that it could do but I do think that as far as companies go, it's miles ahead of the rest.

*SHOPS AND WEBSITE*

I have never bought anything from TBS website (http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk), but I often look at it for pricing and customer reviews and to find out latest offers, some of which are exclusive to the website. The layout is attractive and elegant, though I do find that on occasion it isn't updated regularly, sometimes offers are still advertised after they have ended and the sale sections are often accessible but empty. Despite that I find it a pleasure to use.

I much prefer the hands on approach, at least once a month I find myself browsing (and usually buying) in the local store. The stores come in different sizes and sometimes items are not in stock in the smaller stores but the staff are always happy to arrange for an item to be sent from another store for you. They are always clean and well presented and logically displayed. The latest offers are advertised in the windows. What I love most is that there are testers for everything. You can smell and touch and try, there's usually a sink in the store to try washable products. The staff are knowledgeable on the products and skin/hair types, and usually you can get a makeover, these are technically free but etiquette says if someone has given you a makeover in any shop you should be seriously considering a purchase!

*VALUE*

Prices in TBS aren't cheap, but nor are they extravagant. For example, shampoo/conditioner costs around £5 for 200 ml, mascara is around £10, body butter is £12 and body wash is about £6. These aren't supermarket brand prices, but then again they're not supermarket brand quality. In my opinion the quality of the product alone is enough to warrant the price tag, but when you factor in the community trade in some of them they seem just a little more realistic. And there are an abundance of offers on at any given time: recently including 20% off face care, buy 2 makeup items get a lip gloss free (not a crappy one, your choice of any shade from their lip gloss range), wild cherry body wash for £2.50 and body butter for £6.

Often when you spend over a certain amount in store, usually £20-£30 you get a freebie, usually something like a makeup bag with 4-5 travel size items. These often include makeup and face care products.

Also there is a membership scheme: love your body. You pay £ 5 and you get 10% off purchases for a year, a free £5 gift/off when on your 4th purchase over £10 and in your birthday month and £10 gift/off when on your 8th purchase over £10. This is the only loyalty card I have ever paid for.

*OTHER*

When it comes to cosmetics, I tend to stick with TBS because it fulfils all my needs and doesn't disappoint-with the exception of foundation, there isn't one pale enough! I know the products aren't "natural" and that the scents and colours are mostly synthetic, but what is wrong with that really? Nothing is perfect, especially when profit is involved but TBS gets a big thumbs up from me.

*LINKS*

*http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/services/ab outus_company.aspx
** http://missjulythe14th.files.wordpress.com/2008/08 /ruby_poster1.jpg

© L Wade 2009 - submitted only on dooyoo.

Summary: Nothing is perfect, especially when profit is involved but TBS gets a big thumbs up from me.