The Body Shop Canada, long celebrated for its pioneering commitment to ethical beauty, will mark a major milestone this November with the launch of its new flagship at Vancouver’s Pacific Centre. This opening, led by President Michael Roden and Canadian owners Serruya Private Equity, signals more than a new retail address: it’s the centerpiece of a renewed Canadian strategy and the clearest sign yet that The Body Shop Canada intends to blend its activist roots with next-gen engagement and local market leadership.
- A Fresh Start: New Ownership, New Direction
- Reimagined Retail: The Experience-First Model
- Canadian Relevance: A Locally Minded, Globally Inspired Approach
- Challenges, Comeback, and Community-First Strategy
- Omnichannel Expansion: Beyond Brick & Mortar
- Heritage and Hopes: Values With a New Voice
- Looking Forward
A Fresh Start: New Ownership, New Direction
Following a period of global financial upheaval and restructuring, including the closure of many locations, The Body Shop Canada has rebounded under Canadian ownership. The new parent, Serruya Private Equity (based in Markham, Ontario), took the reins after the UK-headquartered brand faced bankruptcy in its home market and a full US shutdown. With just 64 stores now nationwide, the company’s new management sees the Pacific Centre flagship as pivotal to rebuilding what was once a huge network.
President Michael Roden, known for his retail turnarounds at Thrifty’s Inc., assumed leadership in June 2025, charting a course toward immersive, experiential retail—where shopping meets education, consultation, and community.
Reimagined Retail: The Experience-First Model
The new Pacific Centre store incorporates an updated store concept with a focus on:
- Skin consultation labs staffed by trained beauty advisors
- Interactive product trial zones for skincare, wellness, and fragrance
- Community-driven features, such as workshops, local cause events, and sustainability activations
- A lighter, airier design featuring an expanded color palette beyond Body Shop green
Canadian Relevance: A Locally Minded, Globally Inspired Approach
One core benefit of Canadian ownership, Roden emphasizes, is speed and flexibility in responding to local trends: “Being Canadian-owned allows The Body Shop Canada to move with greater agility, tailoring our approach to meet the values and expectations of Canadian consumers,” said Roden.
The store will carry both the brand’s globally developed products (manufactured in Europe) and new ranges designed for Canadian tastes, like the Spa of the World collection, limited-edition fragrance mists, and festival-inspired body butters. The aim: keep the innovative, activist DNA of Dame Anita Roddick alive while bringing in the next generation through relevance, inclusivity, and modern in-store experiences.
Challenges, Comeback, and Community-First Strategy
The Pacific Centre relaunch also reflects the recovery from significant setbacks: global supply chain issues, the loss of existing customer databases after administration, and rebuilding trust with Canadian consumers after months of store closures.
The brand shared that after losing their customer database, they focused on rebuilding connections through events, footfall-driving initiatives, and omnichannel launches on platforms like Amazon and Shoppers Drug Mart. Over the summer of 2025, this renewed marketing effort, combined with key product launches, led to increase in nationwide footfall, signaling a gradual but steady recovery for the brand.
Omnichannel Expansion: Beyond Brick & Mortar
While the new flagship leads the physical store strategy, The Body Shop Canada is deepening its omnichannel reach:
- Relaunching e-commerce
- Amazon Canada store on track for launch by year’s end
- Partnership expansion through Shoppers Drug Mart (now in 52 locations)
- Emphasis on in-store pick-up, digital consultation, and loyalty integration
Heritage and Hopes: Values With a New Voice
Since its founding by Dame Anita Roddick in 1976, The Body Shop has defined itself by activism, promoting cruelty-free testing, fair trade, and ingredient transparency. These values remain at the heart of the new strategy, with Roden confirming that the Vancouver store will showcase community partnerships and sustainable practices. Community events have always been a part of The Body Shop’s values, and we will now start to gear in on events from a Vancouver point of view, from a Toronto point of view, and beyond.
Looking Forward
Pacific Centre is just the beginning of a targeted expansion for 2026 and beyond: more openings in urban centers, new store of the future rollouts across Alberta and Ontario, and an intensified focus on customer co-creation and loyalty. While the new flagship does not signal a return to the old mall in every city model, it’s a bold leap forward, anchoring The Body Shop’s Canadian presence as the brand retools for a new era.
