Body Shop Canada files for bankruptcy protection; Body Shop U.S. goes dark

The Body Shop is quickly becoming a shadow of its former self.

The Canadian subsidiary of the global beauty and cosmetics brand announced it has started restructuring proceedings by filing a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Make a Proposal pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada).  In the same release, the company said that, as of March 1, 2024, The Body Shop US Limited has ceased operations. (No other information about the U.S. operation was given.)

While all of Body Shop Canada’s 105 store remain open for business, the retailer has identified 33 stores it will close in the “near term,” with liquidation sales already underway (locations at end of article). It has also ended online operations. 

In a release, the retailer said it hopes the NOI process will provide “breathing room while it evaluates its strategic alternatives and implements certain restructuring initiatives.”

The move comes after The Body Shop was acquired by a private equity firm, which put its U.K. business on the selling block in February. According to a report by WWD,  the retailer plans to close 75 stores across the U.K., leaving it with 116 stores.   

Here are the locations of the 33 Body Shop Canada stores that have started liquidation sales.