Lush shuts UK stores in protest over Gaza famine
On September 3rd, the cosmetics company Lush made a dramatic move that caught a lot of attention: every single one of its UK shops, its factories, and even its website were shut down for the day. The reason wasn’t technical issues or a business strategy—it was a protest. Lush wanted to send a clear message about the starvation taking place in Gaza.
Posters went up in store windows reading, “Stop starving Gaza – we are closed in solidarity.” On its website, the same message appeared front and center, while Google Maps even listed its flagship Oxford Street spa as “temporarily closed.” In interviews, the company’s co-founder Mark Constantine admitted that the closure could cost Lush around £300,000 in lost sales, but he insisted the stand was worth it. He even suggested that rather than losing profits, he’d prefer to see money go toward feeding families in Gaza.
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The statement from Lush explained that many of its customers share the same deep concern about the crisis. It apologized for the inconvenience of shutting down for a full day, but stressed that this act of solidarity was necessary. Alongside the closure, the company called on the UK government to stop arms sales to Israel and to push harder for an end to what it described as “death and destruction” in Gaza. It even pointed out that while Lush lost business for the day, the government lost tax contributions as well—a symbolic reminder that inaction has costs.
This isn’t the first time Lush has taken bold stances. Over the years, it has campaigned on issues from undercover police abuses in the UK to the damaging effects of social media on young people. It has also supported climate activism and created products specifically for fundraising causes. One of its most successful efforts has been the Watermelon Slice soap, whose proceeds go to support mental health services for children in Gaza and the West Bank. Lush says it has been its best-performing charity product ever, showing just how strongly customers feel about the issue.
The protest came against a backdrop of worsening reports. International monitors have declared famine in Gaza City, calling the hunger crisis entirely man-made. More than 63,000 Palestinians have been reported killed since the war began in October 2023, when Hamas carried out deadly attacks in Israel. While Israel denies it is blocking aid, humanitarian organizations and governments, including the UK’s own foreign secretary, have described the situation as catastrophic and unsustainable.
By shutting its doors, Lush didn’t just halt sales—it turned its entire business into a statement. For one day, its shelves were silent, its tills stayed shut, and its website went dark, all to amplify a single message: the people of Gaza must not be starved into silence, and action is overdue.
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