More jobs to go at The Body Shop

The company, which employs around 800 people at its global headquarters at Watersmead and a smaller site in Wick, said improvements in its warehouse operations had reduced the number of employees needed.

A Body Shop spokeswoman said: "As a result of an upgrading to our warehouse systems over the past two years and the resultant efficiency gains, our requirement for operatives in our Littlehampton warehouse has reduced by 30.

"We have therefore been consulting with the appointed employee representatives on reducing the warehouse staff numbers by that amount.

"We have agreed with the representatives that we will proceed by way of voluntary redundancies and so, hopefully, avoid the need for any compulsory redundancies.

"We will, of course, be offering full support to any employees who are made redundant, including outplacement and retraining support, as well as help with identifying other suitable vacancies within the business."

Earlier this year, COSi, which bought The Body Shop's factories in 2000 and makes products for the business and other cosmetic companies, announced plans to transfer 240 jobs from the Watersmead site to its plant in Maesteg, south Wales. COSi cited "limitations" at Littlehampton as part of its reason for the move, along with financial support from the Welsh Assembly.

The majority of the 100 jobs to remain at Littlehampton are in Cosi's high-tech research and development institute.

Last year, The Body Shop was sold to French beauty giant L'Oreal for 652m.