ReaDing and discusSion

1.1 Read more information about The Body Shop below, while reading note the style of writing and highlight the most effective stylistic features.

What is the body shop?

To the hundreds of thousands of people all over the world who visit The Body Shop every week, it is, quite simply, the place where they choose to go to buy their skin and hair care products. They enjoy the experience: the smell, the sights, the sounds, the atmosphere. And they like and trust the products: they work well.

The Body Shop is the shop on your High Street. It is also an international company, with its headquarters in West Sussex, UK. We research, develop, manufacture, distribute and finally sell products for both women and men, of all ages.

The Body Shop approach is different from that of the mainstream cosmetics industry. We follow the route of health and well-being, rather than the obstacle-strewn path to 'beauty'. You will not find images of idealised women in our shops or our literature.

The Body Shop approach is non-exploitative. Our shops are self-service. Customers are not pressurised into buying something they do not really need or want by either advertising or forceful sales staff.

We back up our products with information: information readily available directly, or indirectly through our staff: Body Shop staff are trained to help you when you need or want it.

We offer choices: a choice of products that care for your skin and hair, and a choice of how you buy them.

How did the Body Shop begin?

This is a story that has been well-told many times over. In 1976, Anita Roddik opened a tiny shop in a side street in Brighton. She sold a range of twenty-five natural skin and hair care products in a variety of bottle sizes, labelled by hand. The shop had sprung from the idea that you ought to be able to bye as much or as little shampoo or skin cream as you wanted – just as you can do with the apples or potatoes.

Today each Body Shop sells over 300 products. There are around 300 Body Shops, most of them are franchised. We are still growing.

All the Body Shops across the world form part of a whole that is held together by a common bond. It is underwritten by a common philosophy.

This is the strong foundation on which a thriving and successful international business has been built.

What is the Body Shop philosophy?

The Body Shop continues to trade today on the same principles that have held firm since 1976.

We use vegetable rather than animal ingredients in our products. We do not test our ingredients or final products on animals.

We respect the environment: we offer a refill service in our shops. All our products are biodegradable, we recycle waste and use recycled paper wherever possible. We use biodegradable carrier bags.

We use natural-based, clouse-to-source ingredients as much as we can. We offer a range of sizes and keep packaging to a minimum: our customers pay for the product, not for elaborate packaging or for more than they need (and this helps keep the prices down too).