The Body Shop recently completed 15 years in India and today, the cruelty-free brand has more than 200 stores across 70 cities which include standalones, Shop-in-Shop available in malls, shopping centres, high streets, department stores, and airports. On their 15-year anniversary, TMM chatted with Vishal Chaturvedi, Vice President, The Body Shop India to get some insights into the future of the brand.
Can you tell us how the lockdown affected the brand?
The pandemic has been a period of learning for the brand. It gave us the time and chance to carefully evaluate consumer behaviour and outlook in order to plan strategically for the future. During the lockdown, the business suffered and while we expected to see a V-shaped recovery – that was not the case. The robust consumer sentiment during the festive period resulted in a 70-80% rebound of the company’s profit and we closed the year on a profitable note. In the past two years of the new normal, we have learned to rewrite rules, be quick to change, and adapt to the consumer’s needs as fast as possible. The increased awareness around beauty and self-care presented the brand with a great niche and campaigns like “Self-Care Sunday” or “Spa at Home” were very well received by the audience.
We also took this opportunity to revamp our digital presence by building a consumer-friendly digital store that is complete with cutting-edge technology and a user-first interface. Our social media presence is now also enabled with tools to assist consumers in making informed decisions in the absence of a hands-on product experience.
We also added 5,000+ pin codes, bringing products to a total of 30,000 + areas across India. Our digital and social channels have been at the forefront of consumer engagement with any time support, social commerce, WhatsApp shopping, assisted sales and so much more.
The Body Shop recently completed 15 years in India. With so much competition from so many Indian and international brands, how has The Body Shop managed to expand and retain its loyal customers?
The Body Shop’s founding premise of Business as a Force for Good, as well as its commitment to being a Purpose-driven company, means that every choice is made through that lens, which has helped the company stay strong and relevant even in testing times. Everything we do is centred on activism for our planet and its people – this is a particular niche that we established for ourselves ever since inception in 1976. After 15 years in the country, these same founding principles are more important than ever before. These roots, our brand purpose, and our history of change-making; help us resonate with both our loyal & new-age consumers.
On the business side, we’ve been able to get significant insights into consumer demands over time. The Body Shop’s goods are extremely accessible thanks to our retail expansion, which includes 200 highly visible and accessible storefronts as well as an extensive online presence. Our reasonable costs are a crucial factor for brand relevance; our product pricing starts at Rs 200 and some of our most 
popular full-size products (not minis or small-size products) are priced below Rs 500. We have a strong product and ingredient reputation, in addition to our advocacy, accessibility, and affordability. We are and have always been Cruelty-Free & Vegetarian. And now, we are moving towards being 100% Vegan by 2023. These steps were taken towards the planet, the people & also catering to our consumer’s demands helps us evolve & stay relevant for the market.
Can you tell us about the Light A Little Life initiative?
The Body Shop India has always been an activist brand and this year’s festive season, we launched the #LightALittleLife programme to benefit children who have lost their family, caretakers, and livelihoods as a result of the Covid19 pandemic. This programme, in collaboration with Miracle Foundation, intends to provide on-the-ground, robust and long-term care to children whose lives have been destroyed by the pandemic’s second wave in India. #LightALittleLife is a comprehensive effort aimed at supporting impoverished children with school material, coaching, and tutoring, as well as an internet connection for online learning, timely medical testing, prescriptions, and supplements, and access to high-quality healthcare, including emergency care.
What is it that you are most excited about introducing to the consumer?
Our portfolio contains products across categories that are most loved and very well received by various consumers. However, as we move towards our global goal of turning vegan by 2023 – we have been presented with the chance to do better and make our products much more natural & sustainable while also turning them vegan. In the last quarter of 2021, we brought to our consumers two reformulated ranges that have been most loved by consumers for decades. For our haircare range – we have improved our shampoos & conditioners. Now containing a minimum of 95% ingredients of natural origin, these formulations contain vegan silk protein and are also carried in bottles made of CFT recycled plastic. The other range would be our iconic body butters; we were the first brand to introduce this format in 1991 and now we have made it better than ever before in 2021. Also certified by the Vegan Society, these body moisturizers offer hydration for up to 48 hours. Both of these launches have been very well received by the consumers and we are hopeful for similar responses with the new products that will come in 2022.
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