International cosmetics retailer The Body Shop has filed for bankruptcy for its business in Great Britain. The company is owned by German private equity firm Aurelius and operates more than 200 stores in the UK. It was initially unclear how many of the 2,500 jobs in Great Britain were at risk.

Bankruptcy administrators are looking for new owners for the stores, the company announced Tuesday. “This approach provides the stability, flexibility and security to secure the future of The Body Shop and find the best ways to revitalize this iconic British brand,” it said.

Founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon, The Body Shop was one of the first companies to focus on ethically produced cosmetics and skin care products.

Aurelius, based in Grünwald near Munich, acquired The Body Shop from Brazilian company Natura in November 2023 for 207 million pounds (243 million euros). At the time, 10,000 people worked at The Body Shop worldwide. The brand was previously owned by the French group L'Oréal.

Recently, Aurelius agreed to sell the company's operations in most of Europe and parts of Asia to an asset management company. In 2022, The Body Shop reported a pre-tax loss of £71m on sales of £408m.

From: APA/dpa