Ethical beauty retailer The Body Shop has announced the relocation of its head office to Brighton, in a move that marks the beginning of a significant cultural reset for the brand under new ownership.

The company, a stalwart of British high streets for almost 50 years, opened its first store in Brighton in 1976. The little green shop went on to become a global phenomenon, scaling to over 1,900 stores, in 75 countries. The Body Shop pioneered a new approach to selling cosmetic products that was totally at odds with the norms of the industry, putting ethics and sustainability at the heart of its products.

Most recently, head office functions have operated out of two separate locations in Littlehampton, West Sussex, and London, but will be combined under one roof for the first time in decades.

“As we work to rebuild and reimagine the future of our brand, it’s essential we foster an innovative and collaborative culture to make this next stage in the journey possible” says Charles Denton, CEO of The Body Shop. “Returning to Brighton reinforces the values upon which we were built, it’s a city that celebrates diversity and creativity, oozing irreverence and new ways of thinking stimulated by a vibrant youth culture.”

An early The Body Shop store, which was founded and opened its first store in Brighton

placeholder image — An early The Body Shop store, which was founded and opened its first store in Brighton

Siân Berry, MP for Brighton Pavilion where the new head office will be based, added “The Body Shop was founded with values that align very closely with my own and that of our city. With Brighton's well-known reputation for caring deeply about animal rights and sustainability, The Body Shop returning to their hometown is a great fit. I'm particularly pleased they will be based in the area of Moulsecoomb within my constituency and I'm looking forward to visiting the new head office and hearing about their plans for Brighton."

Peter Kyle, MP for neighbouring Hove and Portslade, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, and former employee of The Body Shop under the late Anita Roddick says “I’m thrilled The Body Shop has chosen Brighton as the new location for its head office. I began my career at this iconic brand, and many will have heard me speak about the professional and personal growth I achieved here. I can’t wait to witness this next stage in The Body Shop’s journey and the positive impact and jobs this innovative global retailer will bring to the local area and communities.”

The new head office will be located close by the University of Brighton at the Plus X Innovation hub, an eco-system of innovative businesses with a combined mission to drive positive change in the world. Plus X Innovation is a sustainably built, fully accessible workspace filled with natural daylight and greenery to keep teams at their healthiest and most productive. The Body Shop is already occupying a self-contained office within the building, with plans afoot to expand further and with an option to add more space as their workforce increases, in time bringing job opportunities to Brighton and its surrounding areas.

Olga Hopton, Workspace Director at Plus X Innovation added: “We are delighted to welcome The Body Shop to our innovation hub, home to a growing community of innovative and creative businesses. Our hub houses a state-of-the-art prototyping workshop and a fully equipped photography and podcast studio, supporting The Body Shop’s plans to drive forwards through collaboration and an innovation mindset. We are so pleased to have a new tenant with such closely aligned values and a shared circular and sustainable business model.”