The Dutch branch of The Body Shop was declared bankrupt in November, and bankruptcy administrator Cedric de Breet was appointed to handle the next steps. The beauty retailer will reopen at least five stores under new ownership by SHG Retail.WHO: UK-based The Body Shop first opened its doors in 1976. Founded by the late businesswoman and human rights activist Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon, The Body Shop pioneered ethical consumerism and argued that business could be a force for good. The business in the Netherlands had 27 stores that employed approximately 100 staff members when it filed bankruptcy.German entrepreneur Stefan Herzberg, through his company SHG Retail, signed a Master Franchise Agreement with The Body Shop UK and relaunched 21 shops of The Body Shop in Germany earlier this year. He has acquired control of five The Body Shop locations in the Netherlands and The Body Shop’s Dutch web business.DETAILS:SHG Retail has acquired at least five Body Shop locations in the Netherlands and will relaunch its operations under the new ownership. The stores set to reopen are in Batavia Stad, Roermond, Roosendaal, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. They also acquired The Body Shop’s Dutch online store, which will resume activity, redirecting customers to the German website for faster service.Five franchise-operated locations, unaffected by the bankruptcy, will continue to operate independently.Herzberg, who successfully revived 21 German branches of The Body Shop earlier this year, may expand his acquisition to include additional Dutch stores in the coming weeks.In November, The Body Shop filed for bankruptcy in the District Court for Midden-Nederland.