Lush protests Gaza starvation with UK shop closure
Lush has shut down its website and all UK stores today to protest the starvation of people in Gaza.
The body care company says the one-day closure signifies its solidarity with Palestinians. The retailers’ shop windows display the message “Stop starving Gaza — We are closed in solidarity.”
“Across the Lush business, we share the anguish that millions of people feel seeing the images of starving people in Gaza, Palestine. 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,” says Lush.
The cosmetics company says shutting its shops was “not an easy decision” and asks forgiveness from inconvenienced customers. However, it says that many of its customers “share the same anxiety about the current situation in Gaza.”
“Lush is losing a day of takings, which also means that the UK government is losing a day of tax contributions from Lush and our customers. We hope they too hear the message our closure sends, with more government action needed to bring an immediate stop to the death and destruction, including an end to arms sales from the UK,” it states.
The symbolic watermelon
Lush also announced that it will relaunch its Watermelon Slice soap. The soap was introduced last year to raise funds toward child mental health support in Palestine.
The company says the product was the most successful single-issue fundraising product in its history.
Lush calls for the UK government to take action against the starvation of Palestinians.The funds for the new soap edition will go toward medical services — including charities gearing up to provide prosthetic limb services to adults and children injured in Gaza.
No other shutdowns have been announced, but Lush alluded to future protests.
“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.”
Beauty and activism
Lush has previously campaigned on issues such as climate change and refugee rights. Last year, it donated money to Mexican-based advocates who provide legal support to human rights activists, land defenders, and water protectors facing “unjust criminalization and threats.”
In 2023, the company faced criticism after an employee displayed “Boycott Israel” in a store window in Dublin, Ireland. Lush said in a statement to the Daily Mail that the poster was an isolated incident.
Beauty brands often intertwine themselves with socio-political issues.
Earlier this year, Huda Beauty collaborated with Palestinian musician Saint Levant on a new shade of its Faux Filler Jelly Lip Oil. The proceeds from the collaboration were donated to organizations supporting Palestinian agriculture and cultural preservation.
Huda Beauty’s founder is a long-time pro-Palestine advocate. Huda Kattan previously condemned the evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, in 2021, and has been increasingly vocal since October 2023.
