The Dutch branch of The Body Shop was declared bankrupt, as confirmed by a notice from the Central Insolvency Register and the company’s social media channels. The website has been down for months, but the 27 stores remain open for now.WHO: The UK-based 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.WHY: The Dutch bankruptcy follows similar situations earlier this year in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, US, and Canada following the company's acquisition in November 2023 by the private equity firm Aurelius.DETAILS:The Body Shop filed for bankruptcy in the District Court for Midden-Nederland.The court-appointed bankruptcy administrator Cedric de Breet, based in Amsterdam, has been assigned to handle the next steps.The 27 Dutch stores employ approximately 100 staff members and remain open while a court-appointed trustee evaluates options.Following the bankruptcy declaration, The Body Shop’s Dutch website has remained offline. The announcement also restricts customer transactions in stores, barring the use of gift cards and exclusively allowing card payments.Auréa Holdings, run by Mike Jatania with former UBS Group AG banker Paul Raphael and Charles Denton, who revived Molton Brown, and Erno Laszlo serving as Chief Executive Officer, is The Body Shop's new owner. In November 2023, private equity firm Aurelius bought The Body Shop from Natura &Co in a £207 million ($254 million) deal.L'Oréal sold The Body Shop to Natura &Co in 2017 in a $1.1 billion deal.