The concept of beauty has evolved dramatically over the last few years. The desire to look attractive and feel good is at an all time high among consumers from all walks of life.
Consumers are continuously looking out for products that make them look good. Innovation, ingredients and integrity are the new buzzwords in beauty. Natural and organic has never been more popular. The movement towards healthier, wellness-oriented lifestyles around the world – complemented by a growing consumer awareness of sustainability, naturality, and ethical sourcing, has influenced personal attitudes towards beauty.
There has been a huge upsurge of consciousness in beauty purchase – Beauty with Responsibility. Today consumers want to buy beauty products which are chemical free, natural, organic, vegetarian and not tested on animals. ‘Ethical and Clean Beauty’ is indeed on the rise.
Keeping up with the rising demand, many new brands have entered the beauty retail space in India but brands like The Body Shop which have been there in the industry from past 12 years, has carved a niche for itself.
Vishal Chaturvedi, General Manager-Retail – India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, The Body Shop explains how the brand has become a established household name. He says, “The brand is a one stop shop for new and trending beauty products and ingredients. We have ranges across skincare, bath and body, haircare, make-up, men’s grooming range and gifting. Perfected by centuries of wisdom, the brand brings to its cusotmers the finest natural ingredients, refined textures and delicate fragrances, from purifying and firming clays, sensorial and luxury oils, refining natural scrubs and decadent creams.”
“We are always on the verge of experiments to bring new beauty formats and testing efficacy to bring the very best to our consumers,” he adds.
All the products of the brand are made exclusively in the UK and supplied across the world. India is one the fastest growing markets and among the top markets for The Body Shop.
“We have been in India since 2006 and have 175 stores across the country. We have presence in 60+ Indian cities and over 600 towns and cities through own e-commerce channel. The brand is known for its ethical positioning with strength of natural ingredients, community trade programs, animal cruelty free and 100 percent vegetarian products. The Body Shop has a fast growing consumer base. We are expanding into new markets and are a leading global beauty retailer in the country,” asserts Chaturvedi.
Store Innovations
The Body Shop keeps the customers at the centre of their business and their location strategy is driven by the endeavour to reach as many customers across a wide spectrum of segments.
“We choose locations that allow us access to all kinds of beauty consumers and where we can offer our unique The Body Shop experience,” reveals Chaturvedi.
The brand’s pillars are naturality, animal cruelty free and activism and the stores celebrate this through their ambience and every customer touch point.
“Through the stores, the brand offers a heightened personalized experience by unique display of products and experiential zones which uplift the sensorial experience of the customers. We have a marquee Community Wall that specifically talks s about our ongoing ethical campaigns and initiatives,” states Chaturvedi.
“Our greatest innovation is our beauty experts and advisors. They are the true ambassadors of the brand. The advisors undergo rigorous training and each one of them is well equipped to give a 360° experience of the brand,” he adds.
Future Plans
The beauty brand has endeared itself not only to consumers in big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata but is also hugely popular in Tier II cities like Guwahati, Siliguri, Jammu, Aurangabad, Patna, Nasik, Mysore, Calicut and many more towns and cities.
“We shall be opening 20 more stores this year in 2019, establishing our footprint in new cities to make ourselves even more accessible to new customers,” he reveals.
“Apart from physical presence, we have a very strong online presence. E-commerce is our fastest channel of reaching 600+ cities and towns adding almost 30,000 customers to The Body Shop family every year. Our e-commerce business contributes to 10 percent of our business. We are expecting to grow by 12 percent,” he concludes.
