The Body Shop owes former owner Natura & Co £15m in debt over unpaid bills.
The beauty retail brand, which is currently in administration, owes the Brazilian conglomerate the money for products supplied.
According to Retail Week, the bills date from the short period following private equity firm Aurelius’ taking control of The Body Shop and the chain’s collapse into administration.
It added that, despite the change in ownership, around 65% of The Body Shop’s product supply continues to come from the Avon factory in Poland, which is controlled by Natura & Co.
A source close to the situation said The Body Shop accrued the £15m debt under Aurelius, which bought the brand in November 2023.
The insider added that Natura & Co could determine who purchases The Body Shop by threatening to remove product supply if the next owner chooses not to align with the company.
Earlier this month, The Body Shop’s administrator, FRP Advisory, set a 11 June deadline for rescue bids in an effort to wrap up a sale of the struggling retailer’s remaining British business by the end of June.
Sky News reported that FRP Advisory was encouraged by the level of interest in The Body Shop from potential bidders, but added that Aurelius was unlikely to submit an offer.
The Body Shop’s auction was launched in May after the administrator concluded that an alternative restructuring was not viable.
