Cosmetics retailer Lush closed every one of its shops, factories and its website on Wednesday in protest at the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The move, which also temporarily shut its flagship Oxford Street spa, is estimated to have cost the company around £300,000 (AED AED 1.39m) in lost sales.
Posters placed in its 100+ shop windows read: ‘Stop starving Gaza, we are closed in solidarity’. Online, the company apologised to customers for the inconvenience, but said: ‘Many of our customers share the same anxiety about the situation in Gaza.’ The statement urged the UK government to end arms sales to Israel and take action to stop the ‘death and destruction.’
‘Across the Lush business we share the anguish that millions of people feel seeing the images of starving people in Gaza, Palestine,’ the statement reads. ‘Like the rest of the world, we struggle to find ways we can help whilst the Israeli government is preventing urgent humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza.’
Co-founder Mark Constantine told LBC Radio he supported the decision but added: ‘It would be nice to be able to pay for food to go into Gaza, rather than just sacrificing [profits].’ He noted that even the government would feel the impact, as it lost a day’s worth of tax contributions from the brand.
Lush’s Logstanding Activism
Founded in the UK, Lush produced 102 million products in 2024 with a turnover of £690 million (AED 3.2 billion), and today runs 869 shops worldwide. Known for activism, the brand says its Watermelon Slice soap with proceeds supporting mental health services for children in Gaza and the West Bank, has become its most successful fundraising product ever.
The company has a history of bold stances: a ‘#Spycops’ campaign in 2018 against undercover policing abuses, a boycott of certain social media apps in 2021 over teen body image concerns, and donations to direct-action climate groups such as RoadBlock.
Despite the closures, a spokesperson confirmed all agency staff were paid for the day.
The protest comes as the UK government signals a tougher stance: the prime minister recently said Britain would recognise a Palestinian state later this month unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire, eases the humanitarian blockade, and restarts peace talks. Earlier this week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs Gaza is suffering a ‘man-made famine’ as aid restrictions tighten.
While Lush shop closures only affected the UK, the company believes action may take place in other countries.
‘Lush trades in over 50 countries, but was originally founded in the UK,’ the statement says. ‘With this in mind it feels important that we lift our voice first from here in the UK, however we know that sentiment across the international Lush business is strong and we expect similar actions may follow as other Lush countries seek ways to express their solidarity.’
