The ownership timeline is significant as The Body Shop has undergone several major corporate transitions. The brand states it was acquired by L’Oréal in 2006, became part of Natura &Co in 2017, was sold to Aurelius Private Equity in 2023, and was subsequently acquired by a consortium led by Auréa Group in 2024.3

1976: Foundation

The Body Shop began when Anita Roddick opened the first store in Brighton, England, in 1976. At the time, the cosmetics industry focused heavily on conventional notions of femininity, glamour and physical appearance. Roddick adopted a different approach; rather than presenting cosmetics as a means to transform individuals into an idealised image, she promoted products as tools for self-care and self-esteem.

The original shop was small and distinguished by its green exterior. Products were presented in simple packaging, with the business emphasising naturally inspired ingredients and refillable containers.4 The fundamental concept was that a cosmetics company could simultaneously generate profit, sell high-quality products, treat suppliers fairly, minimise environmental harm, oppose animal testing and campaign for social change. This philosophy became a defining characteristic of the brand.

1980s: From cosmetics retailer to activist brand

During the 1980s, The Body Shop became increasingly associated with activism and campaigning rather than merely retailing cosmetics. One of its early high-profile initiatives was the “Save the Whale” campaign, launched with Greenpeace in 1986. This campaign addressed whaling and promoted jojoba oil as an alternative to sperm-whale oil, which had historically been used in cosmetics.5

This established a pattern that continued throughout the company’s history: The Body Shop utilised its retail stores, products, employees and customers as platforms for social campaigns. This approach was unusual for a beauty company and helped distinguish The Body Shop from conventional cosmetics brands.

1984: Public listing

The Body Shop was publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984.6 Its growth demonstrated that ethical positioning could coexist with commercial success.

One of The Body Shop’s most significant innovations was its approach to fair trade. The company’s Community Fair Trade programme began in 1987. Rather than treating farmers and producers solely as suppliers, The Body Shop developed longer-term trading relationships with communities worldwide.7

The programme involves sourcing ingredients, accessories and other materials from farmers, artisans and community-based producers. The underlying principle differs from traditional charity; instead of providing direct financial aid, the programme builds commercial relationships that allow communities to earn income through their products and skills. The Body Shop describes this as trading fairly rather than simply providing assistance.8 This became a core element of the brand’s identity and helped popularise ethical sourcing within mainstream beauty retail.

Opposition to animal testing is among the most recognisable elements of The Body Shop’s brand identity. The company states that it has never tested its cosmetic products on animals and has campaigned against the practice for decades.9

In the 1990s, The Body Shop became particularly prominent in campaigns against cosmetics-related animal testing. Its activism eventually connected with wider political efforts to change legislation in the United Kingdom and Europe. The Body Shop describes its 1990s campaigning as contributing to the movement that helped bring about legal restrictions on cosmetics animal testing in the UK.10 From a branding perspective, The Body Shop did not simply make “cruelty-free” a product attribute; it integrated animal welfare into its corporate personality and activism.

A major component of The Body Shop’s philosophy is its rejection of narrow beauty standards. Anita Roddick argued that beauty products should not suggest that consumers’ bodies were flawed and then offer a solution. Instead, The Body Shop promoted concepts such as self-esteem, individuality, body acceptance, natural beauty, confidence, inclusivity and self-care.

The company’s current brand philosophy continues to emphasise the belief that “everyone is beautiful.”11 This positioned The Body Shop distinctly from beauty companies whose advertising traditionally focused on transforming consumers to match an ideal appearance.

Women’s rights and empowerment are central to The Body Shop’s identity. Anita Roddick was an outspoken feminist and human-rights activist, incorporating these beliefs into the company. The brand states that it campaigns for women’s equality, self-esteem, female leadership, economic opportunities, equal pay and the challenging of harmful beauty stereotypes.12

This connects to Community Fair Trade, as relationships with women producers and artisans have been integral to the company’s social-impact approach. Consequently, The Body Shop’s brand positioning combines beauty, commerce, feminism and activism.

The Body Shop has conducted campaigns covering a broad range of issues. Notable examples include:

• Save the Whale: An environmental campaign developed with Greenpeace in the 1980s addressing whaling and the use of sperm-whale oil in cosmetics.13
• Against Animal Testing: A long-running campaign against the use of animals in cosmetics testing, considered one of the defining causes in the brand’s history.14
• Human rights: The company has used advertising and campaigns to address various human-rights issues.
• Domestic violence: The Body Shop campaigned against violence in the home, bringing an issue often treated as private into mainstream advertising and public discussion.15
• HIV/AIDS: The company supported campaigns addressing HIV and the marginalisation of affected communities.16
• Women’s empowerment: Women’s rights and equality have remained recurring themes throughout the brand’s history.

Although activism is central to the brand, The Body Shop remains fundamentally a beauty and personal-care company. Its product portfolio includes:

Skincare

• Facial cleansers
• Moisturisers
• Serums
• Masks
• Toners
• Facial oils

Body care

• Body butters
• Body lotions
• Shower gels
• Body scrubs
• Hand creams

Haircare

• Shampoos
• Conditioners
• Hair treatments

Fragrance

• Eau de toilette
• Body mists
• Fragrance-related products

Makeup

• Foundation
• Concealer
• Lip products
• Eye makeup
• Other cosmetics

Bath and accessories

• Bath products
• Brushes
• Beauty tools
• Reusable and refill-oriented products

The company describes its products as naturally inspired, with ingredients sourced globally and an emphasis on ethical sourcing.

The Body Shop became renowned for products built around recognisable natural ingredients. Examples historically associated with the brand include Tea Tree, Shea, Coconut, Aloe, Moringa, Hemp, British Rose and Vitamin E. The ingredient itself often formed part of the product’s identity.

This strategy allowed consumers to easily understand the product narrative: ingredient → sensory experience → beauty benefit → ethical story. For example, a moisturiser could also communicate the origin of an ingredient and how its purchase supported specific communities.

Packaging has historically played a significant role in The Body Shop’s identity. The company experimented with refillable bottles from its early years, an approach that was relatively unconventional for mainstream cosmetics at the time. Today, the company continues to promote refill schemes and efforts to reduce packaging waste, connecting the physical retail experience with the brand’s environmental positioning.17

The Body Shop’s corporate history is notable due to multiple changes in ownership.

L’Oréal (2006)

In 2006, The Body Shop was acquired by French cosmetics giant L’Oréal.18 The acquisition generated controversy due to the perceived contradiction between The Body Shop’s ethical reputation and ownership by a larger conventional cosmetics corporation. Nevertheless, the brand continued operating with its own identity.

Natura &Co (2017)

In 2017, The Body Shop was sold to Natura &Co, the Brazilian beauty group associated with Natura and later Avon.19 This combination was strategically relevant as Natura also emphasised sustainability, ethical sourcing and social responsibility.

Aurelius (2023)

Natura &Co subsequently sold The Body Shop to Aurelius, a European private-equity group, in 2023.20

Auréa-led consortium (2024)

In 2024, the brand was acquired by a consortium led by Auréa Group. The Body Shop identifies this as its latest major ownership transition.21

From a single shop in Brighton, The Body Shop evolved into a global beauty retailer. Company information indicates it has served more than 30 million customers worldwide, with approximately 3,000 stores across more than 70 countries.22 Its internationalisation transformed Anita Roddick’s original philosophy into a global retail model combining British origin, natural beauty, ethical sourcing and activism.

The Body Shop has developed a significant presence in Indonesia, where operations reflect global themes including Community Fair Trade, opposition to animal testing, women’s empowerment, sustainable ingredients, packaging reduction, refill schemes, vegan and vegetarian beauty, and environmental responsibility.23 The Indonesian website maintains dedicated information regarding the company’s history and brand purpose, indicating that global ethical positioning remains central to local marketing.24

The Body Shop’s current stated purpose is: “We exist to fight for a fairer, more beautiful world.”25 This encompasses three major beliefs:

1. Business can be a force for good: Commercial activity can create positive social and environmental change rather than simply generating profit.26
2. Everyone is beautiful: The brand rejects the idea of a single universal physical standard.27
3. Empower women and girls: Women’s equality, self-esteem and independence remain fundamental values.

From a marketing perspective, The Body Shop is characterised as follows:

The brand describes its identity using concepts such as “rebellious,” “ethical,” “change-making,” and “force for good.”

Historically, The Body Shop did not treat ethics as merely an additional marketing feature. While many brands follow a hierarchy of Product → Beauty benefit → Marketing → Corporate social responsibility, The Body Shop’s original model integrated Product + Ethics + Activism + Community + Commercial business. Stores became places where consumers could simultaneously shop for cosmetics and engage with social campaigns, making The Body Shop an early example of purpose-driven branding.

The Body Shop is widely regarded as a pioneer of ethical beauty. Practices that were unusual at the company’s founding have since become mainstream, including cruelty-free cosmetics, ethical ingredient sourcing, fair-trade relationships, sustainable packaging, refill systems, natural-origin ingredients, body-positive marketing, corporate activism and purpose-driven branding. The Body Shop describes itself as a “pioneer of ethical beauty,” demonstrating that consumers could incorporate ethical considerations into purchasing decisions.

The Body Shop’s history includes tensions between its activist identity and corporate ownership. The 2006 acquisition by L’Oréal attracted criticism regarding the perceived contradiction between the brand’s ethical reputation and its ownership structure. Later ownership changes raised questions about long-term commercial sustainability.

Financial difficulties became visible during the 2023–2024 ownership transition, illustrating that a strong ethical identity does not automatically guarantee commercial success. The brand occupies a complex position as both a pioneering ethical-business case study and a conventional global retailer navigating changing ownership and competitive pressures.

Understanding The Body Shop requires understanding Anita Roddick, who turned herself and the company into activist figures within the beauty industry. Her central proposition was that a business could utilise its money, customers, employees, stores, advertising, products and political influence to encourage social change. This philosophy remains embedded in contemporary brand messaging.

The company’s website marks 2026 as its 50th year, representing a significant anniversary for the brand.

The Body Shop can be understood through the following framework:

• Core category: Beauty & personal care
• Functional benefit: Skincare, body care, haircare, fragrance and makeup
• Emotional benefit: Self-care, confidence and feeling good about oneself
• Social benefit: Supporting ethical sourcing, communities and social causes
• Brand belief: Everyone is beautiful
• Business philosophy: Business can be a force for good
• Brand purpose: Fight for a fairer, more beautiful world

The Body Shop is historically significant not merely for selling cosmetics, but for redefining what a cosmetics company could represent. Anita Roddick’s original concept connected beauty, ethics, activism and commerce when these were rarely combined. Its legacy lies in the proposition that a beauty brand can sell a product while simultaneously promoting ideas about how business and society should function.

1. About us Blog – The Body Shop
2. About Us-The Body Shop
3. About The Body Shop
4. Our Brand Purpose – The Body Shop
5. About Us – The Body Shop
6. The Body Shop® Indonesia
7. About us Blog – The Body Shop
8. Rebellious through the years – The Body Shop
9. The Body Shop® Indonesia
10. Activism is in our DNA | About us | The Body Shop
11. About Us-The Body Shop
12. The Body Shop® Indonesia
13. The Body Shop® Indonesia
14. About Us | The Body Shop
15. THE BODY SHOP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED persons with significant control – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
16. THE BODY SHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
17. Privacy policy – The Body Shop
18. Corporate governance statement | The Body Shop
19. About Us | The Body Shop History | The Body Shop®
20. Our brand story
21. Anita Roddick
22. about-us-page
23. THE BODY SHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED persons with significant control – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
24. THE BODY SHOP BRAND LIMITED filing history – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
25. THE BODY SHOP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED filing history – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
26. THE BODY SHOP WORLDWIDE LIMITED filing history – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
27. About Us – The Body Shop