The Body Shop Opens New Changemaking Flagship at Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Celebrates Historic Animal Right's Win for Canada
Beauty retailer continues nationwide expansion of its sustainably-designed "Changemaker's Workshop" concept store
Activist brand also celebrates federal government's decision to end cosmetic animal testing in Canada
TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - The Body Shop Canada is proud to open the doors to its newest flagship location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto. Unlike traditional stores, The Body Shop's new Changemaker's Workshop is designed to give customers an immersive, sensorial product experience, as well as empower Canadians to channel their inner activist - inviting them to participate in social and environmental causes that are important to them and their community. To date, these new concept stores are welcoming higher traffic and sales compared to traditional stores.
"Our new Workshop locations are proving to be something very special," said Hilary Lloyd, VP of Brand & Corporate Social Responsibility, The Body Shop North America. "If activism is the soul of our brand, our retail locations are the heart. This is why we put so much effort into our Chagemaker's Workshop stores. Our goal was to create a physical space that people truly want to be a part of. Whether learning about our incredible products and testing them through our sink experiences, or engaging in Changemaking through our Act station, a space dedicated to petition signing and advocacy, the Workshop retail experience is different, and people are noticing."
This is The Body Shop's sixth Changemaker's Workshop location in Canada. Other locations are in Vancouver, Oshawa, Calgary, Burnaby, and Edmonton. There are five more stores set to open this year.
A key feature for each Canadian Workshop store is that they reflect the local communities they serve and each store is unique with a variety of local artists designing in-store murals, installations and/or sculptures.
In the Yorkdale location, The Body Shop is proud to present a custom piece of textile art by multidisciplinary Toronto-based artist, Laura Moore. The piece, a handmade memory quilt, was inspired by the brand's 40+ years of activism work in Canada, made with The Body Shop materials sourced across the brand's Canadian employee collective as well as from the previous Yorkdale store. The Body Shop has a long history of using textiles as tools for change, upcycled tote bags, aprons, t-shirts, scarves – all designed to communicate our Canadian activism efforts over the years. With the textiles stitched together to shape a map of Toronto, the quilt represents the power of community, and The Body Shop's long history of changemaking in Canada.
"Shoppers come to Yorkdale from across the country, and even around the world, seeking engaging retail experiences," says William Correia, Director, Yorkdale Shopping Centre. "We are thrilled to welcome The Body Shop Canada's flagship store to our vibrant Yorkdale community. The Body Shop's new Changemaker's Workshop delivers on customer desires and expectations for innovative ways to interact with brands. This is an immersive retail environment that will inspire a new generation of conscious consumers."
Also unique to the Yorkdale store, is a nostalgic reminder for Torontonians of all of the things they once loved - and continue to love - about the rejuvenated The Body Shop brand and store concept. The flagship opening features exclusive and limited edition throwback t-shirts - newly made as well as vintage sourced - as an homage to the long and beloved history of the brand in Canada. All proceeds from the t-shirt sales will benefit The Body Shop Changemakers Youth Fund which directly supports young activists in Toronto through the brand's partner, Apathy is Boring's RISE program.The store will also feature limited edition 'greatest hits' pouches, containing Torontonians most loved products of the past and present - Satsuma Body Butter, Hemp Hand Cream, and Vitamin E moisturizer.
"We're really excited about this new The Body Shop store opening for Toronto and for Canada," said Lloyd. "The exclusive campaign elements nod to the past as the brand looks to the future and a continued legacy of positively impacting the Toronto community through our products, experiences and advocacy."
KEY FEATURES AT THE WORKSHOP STORES INCLUDE:
- A central sink area where customers can smell, lather and test The Body Shop's best-loved products.
- A gifting station for people to personalize gifts with ribbons and recyclable paper.
- A dedicated ACT area that gives customers the chance to learn about and engage with issues that impact their communities.
- A refill station where customers can take The Body Shop's 300ml aluminum bottle and fill it up with any 12 of the brand's best-loved shower gels, shampoos, conditioners and hand washes.
- Sustainable countertops that are created from recycled plastic destined for landfill.
- A range of upcycled and reclaimed materials such as reclaimed wood and part-recycled plastic storage crates.
Those shopping at Yorkdale Shopping Centre are encouraged to stop by to see the new store, and customers across the country can look forward to more new Workshop locations across the country.
HISTORIC WIN IN CANADA
The opening of the Yorkdale location coincided with another special moment for the brand, the confirmation of the federal government's commitment to prohibit cosmetic animal testing in Canada. The measures, which were finalized through the 2023 Budget Implementation Act on June 22, 2023, will also prohibit the sale of cosmetics that rely on new animal testing data to establish product safety as well as false or misleading labelling pertaining to cosmetic animal testing.
The Body Shop is the first international beauty brand to campaign against animal testing in cosmetics and along with Cruelty Free International and other advocacy groups, recognizes this as a historic win for animal rights activists and beauty lovers alike. Read more about this historic win here.
Founded in 1976 in Brighton, England, by Dame Anita Roddick, The Body Shop is a global beauty brand and a certified B Corp™. The Body Shop seeks to make positive change in the world by offering high-quality, naturally-inspired skincare, body care, hair care and make-up produced ethically and sustainably. Having pioneered the philosophy that business can be a force for good, this ethos is still the brand's driving force. The Body Shop operates about 3,000 retail locations in more than 70 countries. Along with Aesop, Avon and Natura, The Body Shop is part of Natura & Co, a global, multi-channel and multi-brand cosmetics group that is committed to generating positive economic, social and environmental impact. The four companies that form the group are committed to generating positive economic, social and environmental impact.
For more information follow @thebodyshopnorthamerica on Instagram or visit, thebodyshop.com.
SOURCE The Body Shop
MEDIA CONTACT, Grayson Klimek, Mobile: 403-689-5958, [email protected]
Share this article