On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Lush, the well-known South West-headquartered cosmetics retailer, took the dramatic step of closing all its UK and Ireland shops, its website, and even its factories for a full day. The move, unprecedented in the company’s thirty-year history, was a protest aimed squarely at raising awareness about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As shoppers approached Lush’s 104 UK and Ireland locations, they were greeted not by the familiar scent of bath bombs and the bustle of staff, but by window posters boldly declaring: “Stop starving Gaza – we are closed in solidarity.” The company’s website echoed the same message, splashed in red, white, and green capital letters across a stark black background, accompanied by a link to a company statement explaining the closure.
Lush, launched in Poole in 1995 by a group of six entrepreneurs, has built a reputation for its ethical stance on everything from animal testing to environmental sustainability. But this protest marked a new chapter in the company’s activism. In its official statement, Lush explained, “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.” The company emphasized that, while it might not be able to send physical aid, it could send “our love and a strong message that we stand in solidarity.”
The company acknowledged that shutting down operations, even for a single day, was not a decision taken lightly. “Providing our customers with the very best service is ingrained into everything we do at Lush,” the statement read. “We ask for forgiveness from any customers we inconvenience should they come to us on 3 September and find us closed. However, we know that many of our customers share the same anxiety about the current situation in Gaza.”
Lush’s protest was more than just symbolic. The company drew attention to its history of fundraising for Palestine, particularly through its Watermelon Slice soap. According to Lush, this product 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.” The company now plans to bring the Watermelon Slice soap back to store shelves, with all proceeds destined for medical services in Gaza. This includes support for charities that are preparing to provide prosthetic limb services to adults and children who have been injured in the conflict.
The closure also had financial implications for both Lush and the UK government. “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,” the company pointed out in its statement. “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.” The company ended its message with a simple but resonant phrase: “In Peace and Solidarity.”
For a company so closely associated with ethical consumerism, Lush’s decision to close its doors was both a moral and a financial statement. The group operates a total of 951 stores in 52 countries and maintains six factories worldwide—including its flagship manufacturing site in Poole, as well as facilities in Canada, Australia, Japan, and Croatia. Last year alone, the Poole plant produced a staggering 33.5 million items, and an impressive 95% of Lush’s products are vegan, underscoring its commitment to social and environmental values.
Lush’s protest comes at a time when global attention is focused on the dire situation in Gaza. Images of starving families and blockaded aid convoys have sparked outrage and helplessness in equal measure. According to Lush, “millions of people feel anguish” at these scenes, and the company’s leadership said it was “struggling to find ways we can help whilst the Israeli government is preventing urgent humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza.” The company’s decision to close shop for a day was, in its words, a way to send “a strong message that we stand in solidarity.”
The Watermelon Slice soap, highlighted by Lush as its “most successful fundraising product,” has become something of a symbol for the company’s activism. Funds raised from its sales have previously supported child mental health initiatives in Palestine, and with its reintroduction, proceeds will now be directed to medical charities providing prosthetic limbs to those injured in the conflict. This approach reflects Lush’s belief that its customers are deeply invested in humanitarian causes. “We know that many of our customers share the same anxiety about the current situation in Gaza,” the company said, offering both an apology for the inconvenience and gratitude for the support its customers have shown.
But the protest wasn’t just about raising money. Lush made it clear that the closure was intended to send a political message as well. By halting all business, the company ensured that not only would it forgo a day’s revenue, but the UK government would also lose out on a day’s worth of tax contributions. This, Lush hoped, would prompt officials to pay attention and reconsider policies related to the conflict. “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,” the statement read.
The closure sparked discussion among customers and in the wider business community. While some applauded Lush for taking a principled stand, others questioned whether such actions could have any real impact on government policy—or if they risked alienating shoppers who simply wanted to buy bath bombs. Still, for Lush, the protest was a way to align its operations with its values, even at a cost to its bottom line.
Lush’s activism is part of a broader trend among companies using their platforms to take a stand on global issues. In recent years, brands have increasingly found themselves under pressure to respond to humanitarian crises, social movements, and political controversies. For Lush, whose brand identity is closely tied to ethical practices, the decision to close its stores for Gaza was both a reflection of its values and a calculated risk—one that it hopes will spark meaningful change, or at the very least, start a conversation.
As the day of closure ended, Lush’s message remained clear: business as usual is not always an option when lives are at stake. For many supporters, the protest was a bold act of solidarity; for skeptics, it was a symbolic gesture. But for Lush and its customers, it was a moment to pause, reflect, and demand something better.
