Rituals demands €20M from The Body Shop following trademark dispute

Dutch cosmetics brand Rituals is demanding €20 million (US$20.7 million) in damages from The Body Shop for allegedly copying its trademark. The claim emerged during The Body Shop Netherland’s bankruptcy proceedings in November 2024.

The dispute centers on The Body Shop’s Spa of the World product line, launched in 2015. Rituals accuses the company of trademark infringement for using phrases like “relaxing ritual” and “revitalizing ritual.”

A Dutch court ruled that The Body Shop’s use of “ritual” went beyond generic descriptions, repeatedly used a capital “R” and likely ‘confused’ customers, which Rituals claims caused a loss of sales and market share.

Slim chances of payment

The €20 million figure is described as an estimate since sales data for the products in question are still undisclosed. Rituals spokesperson Iris Buys says the company has little hope of recovering this amount given the bankruptcy situation.

With 54 other creditors already in line for €3.8 million (US$3.93 million) from The Body Shop, Rituals’ claim falls farther down the list of priorities. Priority creditors like the Dutch Tax Authority will be paid first.

Curator Cedric de Breet, who was in charge of overseeing The Body Shop’s bankruptcy proceedings, admitted Rituals’ payout chances are unverified and that if there is any money left, “creditors will receive a percentage of their claim, but it is unclear whether that will happen.”

Furthermore, Rituals might pursue claims against The Body Shop International Limited, the UK parent company also named in the court ruling. Whether they take this step remains to be seen, but the possibility adds another layer of controversy to the case.

Fallout for The Body Shop

The Body Shop’s bankruptcy in the Netherlands affected 27 stores and around 100 employees. Years of ownership changes, instability and financial mismanagement have left it struggling to compete.

The company filed for bankruptcy in multiple countries after signs of a downfall had been evident for months: Dutch customers saw gift cards suspended, in-store payments were restricted to cards and the website had been offline, displaying an error that it was being updated.

De Breet’s attempts to salvage operations led to SHG Retail’s partial acquisition in December 2024. SHG Retail, led by German entrepreneur Stefan Herzberg, acquired eight Dutch locations in an attempt to save the brand’s local presence.

Herzberg, who had already acquired 21 German stores, plans to further expand the revival.