The Body Shop in exclusive talks with potential buyer
The Body Shop could be sold a private equity investor, as the cosmetics retailer continues an ongoing sales process.
Aurelius Group, which owns Footasylum and Lloyds Pharmacy, is said to be in exclusive negotiations for a purchase of The Body Shop, Sky News has reported.
The Body Shop was put up for sale during the summer by its Brazilian owner Natura. It was reported that potential bidders had been put off by a £500m price tag placed on the retailer.
If a deal goes through, it is expected that the business will be valued substantially lower than this figure, sources told Sky News.
Other businesses which have been in the running for The Body Shop include Alteri Investors, private equity firm Epiris, and activist investor group Elliott Advisors, which owns Waterstones.
Other than confirming in August that it was exploring “strategic alternatives” for the retailer, Natura has not since commented publicly on the process.
Natura acquired The Body Shop from L’Oréal in a deal valued at €1bn (£864m) in 2017.