Bodycare crisis on your high street: 32 stores to shut, 450 jobs at risk — is your town next?

Shoppers face fresh uncertainty as a familiar beauty retailer fights to keep tills ringing and suppliers onside during a pivotal week.

Bodycare has entered administration, triggering plans to close 32 shops and cut around 450 roles from a workforce of roughly 1,500. Interpath has been appointed as administrator. The majority of remaining sites continue to trade while a buyer is sought and a rescue deal is tested.

What has happened

The budget beauty and toiletries chain has fallen into administration after months of tightening cashflow. Management had wrestled with higher energy bills, wage and rent pressures, and a slower-than-planned move to online sales. A funding gap opened up after the company abandoned a stock market listing last year. That shortfall reportedly unsettled suppliers and pinched stock levels, making trading tougher.

Thirty-two store closures and about 450 redundancies are on the table as administrators move to stabilise Bodycare.

Interpath is now running the process. Its team is keeping most stores trading while they canvass interest from potential buyers and assess whether parts of the chain can be saved. Gift cards, deliveries and returns policies can change quickly during administration, so customers should check in-store for the latest position before they spend.

Why the numbers no longer add up

Retail margins look thin when costs rise faster than revenues. Beauty often resists downturns, but discount chains rely on fast turnover and stable supplier terms. When finance tightens, shelves look patchy and customers drift to rivals with fuller ranges. That compounds the problem.

The digital delay

Bodycare planned to shift more sales online, but the transition landed late. That matters. Click-and-collect and rapid fulfilment now drive footfall to physical stores. A late or clunky website drains marketing spend and fails to convert. Competitors with slick apps and next-day delivery pull away.

A listing that never happened

The retailer weighed a public listing last year, then walked away. A flotation can cement supplier confidence and deliver fresh capital. Scrapping it can do the opposite. Lenders tighten limits. Suppliers ask for cash up front. Less stock arrives on time. Sales soften as promotions shrink.

After the aborted float, a funding hole opened and supplier confidence faded, hitting availability just when costs peaked.

What it means for staff and shoppers

Redundancy consultations will start in affected branches. Staff should receive statutory redundancy where service and funds allow. If the company cannot pay, the government’s Insolvency Service can step in for certain entitlements. Many colleagues will still be needed in trading stores and any business that emerges from a sale.

Customers will want clarity on gift cards, returns and orders. Administrators can alter policies, and they may pause some redemptions to protect creditors. Always ask at the till before buying a gift card or presenting one. Keep receipts and order confirmations.

• If you hold a gift card, try to use it soon in a trading store and spend the full balance in one go.
• If you ordered home delivery, track dispatch and contact customer services promptly if timelines slip.
• If you need a refund, bring proof of purchase and check whether the store can process it during administration.
• For staff queries, save payslips and contracts; note your start date and contracted hours for redundancy calculations.

What administrators do next

Interpath will stabilise cash, talk to landlords and suppliers, and invite bids. Options range from a going‑concern sale of the whole company to sales of selected stores, brands or inventory. A fast “pre‑pack” deal is possible if a buyer stands ready and trading losses mount. The goal is to preserve value, protect viable jobs and return funds to creditors where possible.

Who could buy it

Trade buyers may circle to add scale and secure procurement benefits. Specialist investors sometimes back a slimmer chain with upgraded systems and a tighter store estate. The brand serves a price‑sensitive audience, which remains attractive in a squeezed economy. Location quality, lease terms and online capability will decide the outcome.

The wider high street picture

Beauty demand has held up better than some categories, yet costs keep biting. Energy remains higher than pre‑pandemic norms. Business rates strain stores on older high streets. Wage floors have risen. At the same time, shoppers weigh every pound, buying fewer impulse extras and seeking multibuy value. Retailers with strong supplier partnerships and efficient distribution have more room to price keenly. Chains with thin buffers feel each shock harder.

Online and physical retail now need each other. Stores offer immediacy and convenient returns. Digital drives discovery, baskets and loyalty. When investment in either side lags, the whole proposition suffers. Bodycare’s experience shows how a delayed platform and a disrupted funding plan can collide with a cost squeeze.

If you need to act now

Customers who rely on staple toiletries should consider short‑term alternatives in case local availability dips. Compare like‑for‑like pack sizes and unit prices. Check own‑label options from supermarkets and chemists. If you depend on niche products often stocked by Bodycare, note the brand names and search for authorised sellers to avoid counterfeits.

Employees weighing redeployment can list transferable skills quickly: fragrance advising, till operation, cashing up, planogram resets, shrink control and click‑and‑collect handover. These map well to roles in pharmacies, supermarkets and value fashion. Keep a record of your achievements by store KPIs, such as ATV, conversion and shrink improvements; recruiters respond to measurable results.

For communities, a rescue that preserves core sites remains possible. Administrators often keep profitable stores trading and can sell them as a package. If a buyer emerges with fresh working capital and a reliable online engine, the chain can stabilise. The next few weeks will decide how many shops stay lit and how many uniforms remain on shift.