Lush closes all stores in solidarity with Gaza

Stephen Price

All Lush stores across the UK will be closed today (Wednesday 3 September), along with its online platforms and factories, in solidarity with Gaza.

Sharing a statement on their website, the cosmetics brand which has stores in Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen, wrote: “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.”

“One thing Lush can currently send into Gaza is our love and a strong message that we stand in solidarity. This will take the form of halting business-as-usual by shutting our UK shops, website and factories for one day on Wednesday 3rd September 2025, with our shop windows displaying the message STOP STARVING GAZA – WE ARE CLOSED IN SOLIDARITY.”

 

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“Providing our customers with the very best service is ingrained into everything we do at Lush, so shutting our shops is not an easy decision – we ask for forgiveness from any customers we inconvenience should they come to us on 3rd September and find us closed.

“However, we know that many of our customers share the same anxiety about the current situation in Gaza. Our fundraising soap, Watermelon Slice, has been the most successful single issue fundraising product in the history of Lush, indicating how strongly our customers feel and we are grateful to have been able to raise funds towards child mental health support in Palestine. We now plan to make this soap available again, with the funds going to medical services, including charities that are gearing up to provide prosthetic limb services to adults and children injured in Gaza.

“Whilst Lush is losing a day of takings, this 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.

“In Peace and Solidarity,

“LUSH”

The statement added: “LUSHNB: Lush trades in over 50 countries, but was originally founded in the UK. 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.”

Ethics

From its humble beginnings in Poole, Dorset – where the original High Street store, at number 29, remains, now with its own spa – the company has stores and manufacturers worldwide, including a major manufacturing hub in Poole, and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025.

Part of the company’s success is down to the fact that, in the 1990s, it was somewhat unique in its approach to using natural, sustainable ingredients to make its fresh beauty products.

Priding itself on using natural products, Lush is at the forefront of fighting for a better world, having never tested on animals, and uses its platform to fight for human, animal and environmental justice as part of its everyday operations.

Speaking to Great British Life earlier this year, one of its co-founders wrote about the future: “We’re supporting people that are making a difference, we’re campaigning and giving money to grassroots causes, to those that are making a difference to the environment and animals, and we’re making a difference to the high street.

“Hopefully we’ll keep leading the way in certain things and bringing causes to the public’s attention. We’re still supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Everyone is welcome at Lush.

“We hope that Lush continues to be all things to all people, while trying to leave the world Lusher than we found it.”

Gaza

The world’s leading association of genocide scholars has declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

A resolution passed by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) states that Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition as laid out in the UN convention on genocide.

Across a three-page resolution, the IAGS presents a litany of actions undertaken by Israel throughout the 22-month-long war that it recognises as constituting genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On Monday 1 September, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that 63,557 people had been killed and 160,660 injured during the war so far. The ministry’s numbers are widely considered reliable and do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.

In August, the UN-backed food monitor, the IPC, confirmed that famine was taking place in parts of Gaza. Israel is accused of causing the famine through ongoing restrictions on food and medical aid entering Gaza.

View the statement, and show future support at www.lush.com