Body Shop Eases Back Into Black. After a disappointing and turbulent 2002, the Body Shop appears to be battling back, posting a pre-tax profit of 9.1 million pounds for the six-month period ending on August 30 (compared with a loss of .7 million pounds for the same period last year). This BBC article reports that the company, which owns and franchises about 1,900 locations around the world, was shaken last year after a number of competitors chipped away at its market share -- forcing a number of changes including the resignation of founder Anita Roddick as co-chairman. Ms. Roddick and the Body Shop became known in the 1980s for their position on corporate ethics -- rejecting the use of animal testing for any of the Body Shop products and requiring Body Shop employees to perform community service as part of their job responsibilities.
Posted by franchiselawblog at October 15, 2003 09:55 AM