The Body Shop unveils activism-focused store in Stratford

British beauty company The Body Shop has revealed its newly refurbished concept store in Westfield, Stratford, which has a particular focus on its activist heritage.

The store is designed to encourage local residents to explore products, share ideas and discover how to speak up against injustices, the brand said in a release.

Redesigned with a ‘Workshop’ concept, the location takes cues from an artisan workshop and comes complete with an ‘Activism’ area, as well as a product ‘Refill Station’.

Its Activism hub aims to help customers get involved with The Body Shop and the British Youth Council’s joint campaign for ‘Votes at 16’, which highlights unfairness in the UK’s electoral system and is calling for young people to receive full voting rights by 2024.

Additionally, its Refill Station comes as part of a growing initiative by the retailer to make refilling empty product bottles mainstream.

Currently, 170 of its UK stores offer the circular feature, while another 105 stations are expected to open before the end of 2022.

At the locations, customers can purchase a refillable aluminium bottle and fill it up with a selection of the brand’s products.

The opening marks The Body Shop’s 37th Workshop Store in the UK, with the company looking to continue expanding its network with an additional 20 more stores set to open in 2023.

In a release, Maddie Smith, managing director UK and Ireland, said the launch of the workshops concept is part of a “very practical mission” to change consumer behaviour.

Smith continued: “We want to bring people together to realise they are capable of making small changes that could benefit our communities and the planet.

“At our new Stratford store, we want people to get talking, get inspired and get active. We want our customers to have fun playing with our products but also have conversations about issues that affect them, helping us campaign to progress equality.”