The Body Shop hits back at accusation it is targeting vulnerable teens

By Michelle Yeomans

- Last updated on GMT

The Body Shop hits back at accusation it is targeting vulnerable teens
Cosmetics Design sat down with the global cosmetics giant after a UK publication claimed it is "using children to push its products" in the form of 'free parties.'

The talk comes after journalist Shona Sibary claimed girls are being put under pressure to sell The Body Shop's products to their friends​ and are getting embarrassed and upset when they can't afford them.

The article focused on Sibary's daughter's experience with a sales consultant from the brand's At Home division.

In it, the journalist accused the once 'second-most trusted brand' in Britain as drawing teenagers in through Facebook by offering them free 'parties', sometimes without their parent's consent.

We're adults: we know the difference between a genuine knees-up and a flogging exercise, but children don't," ​writes Sibary.

"And it seems some consultants at The Body Shop At Home - the profitable division of the company that runs these parties - are using this to dubious advantage​,” she added.

"We do not believe that it is right to target under 18s to host a party" - ​The Body Shop

In response to this Zoe Cook, the UK's PR manager told this publication; "We pride ourselves in offering a fantastic, personalised shopping experience to all our customers, whatever their age but we do not believe that it is right to target under 18s to host a party and we have reviewed our party policies to prevent this happening again."

Cook goes on to clarify that the minimum age of a consultant and party host is 18 years old whilst the minimum age to attend a party unaccompanied is 16 years.

"If under 16 years, they can attend along with a parent or guardian, or with consent from a parent​," she tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.

Whilst Body Shop At Home consultants are self-employed and independent, Cook says that they have been made fully aware of the ethics and values of the brand's business and targeting minors to host parties is not consistent to business practice.

"Due to this unusual incident we are reviewing our party policies to prevent this happening again," ​she says.

The way the parties work

Consultants earn a commission salary by selling The Body Shop products through a 'party experience'.

The self-employed consultants choose how far they want to build their own business; as they are their own boss they can opt for part-time or full-time work depending on whether they are looking to earn extra spending money or a healthy salary.

After a host chooses a date, party theme and invited friends round, a consultant arrives with a collection of products and offers the host a thank you gift and various shopping discounts which are related to overall party spend levels.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Discover Peptan for Beauty & Diverse Skins

Discover Peptan for Beauty & Diverse Skins

Content provided by Rousselot | 05-Sep-2024 | Product Brochure

As beauty from within solutions soar in popularity, manufacturers need to be able to serve everyone, no matter their ethnicity or skin type.

FucoSkin®: Ocean-Inspired Sustainable Beauty

FucoSkin®: Ocean-Inspired Sustainable Beauty

Content provided by Hi-Q Marine Biotech International Ltd | 28-Aug-2024 | White Paper

FucoSkin® is a fucoidan-rich extract derived from the brown seaweed Laminaria Japonica, known for its excellent anti-aging and photoprotective benefits....

See our latest innovations in personal care

See our latest innovations in personal care

Content provided by Covation Bio™ PDO | 02-Apr-2024 | White Paper

At CovationBio PDO, we’re helping the world achieve its sustainability goals by enabling better performing, better-for-the planet products across a range...

Collagen Reimagined, Discover Biodesigned Type XXI

Collagen Reimagined, Discover Biodesigned Type XXI

Content provided by Geltor | 20-Mar-2024 | Product Brochure

Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein and a mainstream ingredient for beauty. Type XXI collagen transcends a common protein into a powerful bioactive

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars

Podcast