Sneak peek: 5 things to know about the new The Body Shop concept store in Vancouver
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:00:42 +0000
British beauty brand The Body Shop is set to open its first North American concept shop — in Vancouver. It is the third of its kind in the world, with the first location being its flagship store on Bond Street in London and a second newly opened store in Hong Kong.
Located in Pacific Centre across from the spot the company inhabited previously, the revamped shop has a few noteworthy features that differentiate it from other retail shops. Ones that fans of the brand’s cruelty-free collections will likely appreciate.
“This year marks The Body Shop’s 40th anniversary in Canada, and that includes our presence in British Columbia,” Hilary Lloyd, vice president of marketing and corporate Responsibility for The Body Shop North America, says. “We have a large, loyal base of ethically engaged customers in the Vancouver market and this new concept store gives us the opportunity to provide our Vancouver customers with an experience that they expect from us and that perhaps they’ve missed from us in recent years.
“We’re rolling up our sleeves, refocusing on sustainability and reigniting our activist spirit.”
We got a preview of the new space, and here’s what caught our attention.
An artist rendering of the new Vancouver concept store for The Body Shop in Vancouver.
1: Ready for refill. The store features a “refill station” where shoppers can easily refill their reusable aluminum bottle (sold in-store) with products from popular lines such as British Rose, Satsuma and Coconut. “Our hope is that we’re giving sustainability-minded customers a really great refillable and reusable alternative,” Lloyd explains. “Of course, it’s not lost on us that we can do more — and we do.” An expanded product range for the refill program is expected to launch by the end of the year.
The Body Shop’s concept store in Vancouver features a refill station like the one pictured at Bond Street.
2: Recycling route. Feel good about getting rid of your old product packaging such as bottles, tubes and tubs by bringing them back to the store. Part of the Return. Recycle. Repeat program, regular shoppers can bring back their “clean cosmetics packaging” empties and will receive a $10 voucher for ever five they bring back. The packages are recycled through a partnership with TerraCycle.
3: Going green. The renovated store features “green” materials such as recycled plastics and reclaimed wood in an attempt to “minimize its environmental impact,” according to the company. The worktop surfaces in the store are also made from EKOply, a product manufactured using material otherwise destined for the landfill.
4: Get active. The store includes an “activism corner” — which the company’s founder Anita Roddick would undoubtedly have been a supporter of. In the space, customers can highlight global environmental initiatives that are important to them. “The Activist Corner represents a return to our roots,” Lloyd says. “It’s a physical space where our store teams and consumers alike can engage and campaign for issues that matter to us — things like fighting for gender equality and fighting to end cosmetic animal testing.”
5: Sip and shop. In an effort to reduce the use of plastics overall, the store also offers a “watering station” for shoppers to stop and fill their reusable water containers while they’re out and about.