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Cosmetics and toiletries brand Lush prides itself on its ethical stance and homemade products. But can its small-business attitude stand up to the big corporations? Ruth Mortimer investigates
In some stores, the sight of a grown man anxiously rifling through products to find one manufactured by a girl instead of a boy might be greeted with raised eyebrows. But at international toiletries and cosmetics brand Lush, it is all part of the service. The company prides itself on selling fresh, handmade goods with the names and faces of each product's manufacturer attached.
Andrew Gerrie, chief executive of Lush, explains that the labelling system engages customers on a personal level with the brand, which is one of the world's few multinational, independent producers and retailers of fresh toiletries.
He adds: "Our production end of the business is more like a catering kitchen than a mainstream, mechanised production facility. So there's that connection between the products and the person who has made them; we are trying to explore that further."
In a global retail environment dominated by supermarkets and low prices pushed down by economies of scale, Lush is a surprising anomaly. It may have 379 stores worldwide, but it is fervently against animal testing, uses organic and natural ingredients wherever possible and doesn't even have a traditional marketing department.
While Lush is a private business and does not have to report public sales figures, it will reveal that its recent annual retail sales topped pound 63m. This is not yet in the league of 2,000- store strong L'Oreal-owned competitor The Body Shop, which recently reported an annual turnover of pound 486m, but it is on the rise. The natural products sector is growing rapidly and Lush is ready to capitalise on this trend.
Julian Greenaway, former managing director of global cosmetics brand Guerlain in the UK and founder of agency Greenaway Consulting, agrees that Lush is tapping into a burgeoning area. He says: "The public is demanding something more mainstream from organic products these days. People are more concerned about having chemical-free products."
Sue Losson, head of sales and marketing for independent organic cosmetics and toiletries brand Green People, adds: "We have a wide range of customers. The majority are female, 25 and over, but...