Ten Dutch The Body Shop stores are already certain to stay open, and perhaps more branches will be saved, following the chain’s bankruptcy. In Belgium, on the other hand, the cosmetics chain has completely disappeared.
In German hands
The Body Shop has found a new owner for at least five Dutch shops: German entrepreneur Stefan Herzberg, who has already saved 21 German shops of the bankrupt chain, is taking over the shops in Amsterdam (Kinkerstraat), Lelystad (Batavia Stad), Roermond, Roosendaal and Rotterdam, the administrator told RTL Z. Herzberg has also acquired The Body Shop’s Dutch web shop, which will link to the German web shop.
Five franchised stores are also continuing, as they were not part of the bankruptcy that was declared last month. More shops may stay open as well: The Body Shop had 27 stores in the Netherlands, for whom more clarity will follow in the coming weeks. Herzberg has reportedly announced that he would like to take over several more stores.
Last summer, the British parent company had already made a restart with a limited number of shops, after an acquisition by investment company Auréa. In Belgium, on the other hand, the curtain finally fell on the sustainable cosmetics chain formula at the end of March.
