Bodycare to close 32 shops and cut about 450 jobs after entering administration
Lancashire-founded health and beauty chain will keep most stores trading while administrators seek a buyer amid rising costs and high street pressures
Bodycare, a UK health and beauty chain founded in Lancashire in 1970, will close 32 stores immediately and make about 450 staff redundant after entering administration, administrators said.
The firm employs roughly 1,500 people and operates 147 bricks-and-mortar shops. Administrators said the majority of stores will continue to trade while they explore options, including the possibility of selling the business. They added that retailers were facing "challenging times" with rising costs and fierce competition for consumer spending.
Stores earmarked for immediate closure include branches in Croydon, Edinburgh, Hemel Hempstead, Scunthorpe and Wrexham, the administrators said. The company, known for budget cosmetics and large tubs of moisturiser and conditioner stacked on floor-to-ceiling shelving, cited rising rents and the cost of maintaining a wide physical estate as key pressures.
The move follows a period of weakness on the high street, where many retailers have cited higher operating costs, shifting consumer habits and intense competition from online and value chains. Administrators declined to disclose which buyers, if any, were in discussions but said options would be explored in the coming period to preserve parts of the business where possible.
Staff affected by the closures will be made redundant immediately, while employees at continuing stores remain at work as administrators assess the estate. The company said it is working with staff and their representatives to manage the changes.
Retail analysts have noted a wave of restructuring across midmarket and value-focused retailers this year. In a recent comparable development, the US owner of accessories and jewellery chain Claire's secured a buyer after filing for bankruptcy. Administrators and Bodycare`s management did not provide a timetable for completing a sale process or finalising store closures.
Customers with outstanding orders or bookings were advised to contact the administrators for guidance. The unfolding situation will be closely watched by landlords and suppliers as the administrators move to stabilise the business and determine whether a buyer can be found for part or all of the chain.