The Body Shop’s administrators, FRP, on Tuesday confirmed the restructuring plan for the UK business that was put into administration by its new owner Aurelius last week. And while it’s a tough one, it clearly could have been even worse.

What’s clear is that the chain will survive as a major UK beauty retailer, but it will be significantly smaller than it was. 

The administrators said that “stores remain a part of [the] future strategy, with more than half expected to stay operational”. There will also be a “renewed focus on products, online sales channels and wholesale” and that global franchises are “central to The Body Shop’s long-term international strategy”.

FRP’s Tony Wright, Geoff Rowley, and Alastair Massey are the joint administrators and said that last week’s filing came after “years of unprofitability”. 

And “following a full evaluation of The Body Shop’s UK business”, they’ve “concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable”.

The result is that seven stores are closing immediately, including some in flagship locations, and London appears to have been a focus. The closures include the store on Oxford Street (not far from Bond Street), as well as other London sites such as Surrey Quays, Canary Wharf and Cheapside. Nuneaton in Warwickshire, Ashford Town Centre in Kent, and Bristol Queens Road are also closing as of Tuesday.

More closures will happen so there will clearly be some nervousness among store staff until the locations are revealed. No timeline has been given for that.

But “more than half of The Body Shop’s 198 UK stores will remain open”.  

Unsurprisingly, FRP said that “following the earlier sale of loss-making businesses in much of mainland Europe and parts of Asia, and to support a simplified business, The Body Shop will also restructure roles in its Head Office to align with this forward-looking strategy and more nimble, financially viable model”.

That means job cuts of around 40% to result in a “future headcount of over 400 full-time employees”. The Body Shop Ambassador programme — by which consultants in the UK can earn commission by offering people in their network offers from the retailer — will also close. 

All of this, plus the aforementioned renewed focus on the brand’s products, online sales channels and wholesale strategies, are aimed at “bringing the brand in line with industry peers and supporting a return to financial stability”.

Also with that in mind, the administrators said that “stabilising and strengthening the central core will also support The Body Shop’s international strategy, with Global Head Franchise Partners and wholesale partners in Asia, Middle East and Europe a cornerstone of future success”.

The plan is that the swift actions being taken should “help re-energise The Body Shop’s iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term”.