Who remembers Bodycare? The health and beauty chain that was a staple of every high street and shopping centre. It had humble beginnings, setting up as a market stall in Lancashire back in the 1970s and grew to the point that it had nearly 150 shops across the United Kingdom.
By the Autumn of 2025, it had vanished. The company went into administration and hundreds of people lost their jobs.
So how did this happen?
On the face of things, Bodycare looked healthy; its sales were up. Underneath, the operational costs of its business were spiralling out of control. It continued to rely on footfall and cheap prices to incentivise would be customers, whilst its competitors shifted their focus to online sales. By the time Bodycare tried to catch up, the world had already moved on.
It is a classic story. Bodycare did not fail because its customers disappeared, it failed because consumer habits changed faster than it could adapt to them.
There is a silver lining, however. Through its administration, Bodycare’s brand has been purchased by a group led by its former boss, Charles Denton. The plan is to reopen a smaller number of stores and maintain the presence it has had in our towns and cities for so long. It is presumed there will also be a shift to online-focused trade to help its survival.
As is apparent from the above, although the term “administration” has connotations of business collapse, something positive can come from it. Administration can be seen as a tool to protect a business’ value, jobs and future potential when its current model is unsustainable. Sometimes, administration is the best chance a business has to restructure itself and survive.
Broadly speaking, an administrator’s job is to:
- Keep a business running where possible;
- Protect jobs, value and goodwill; and
- Find a purchaser that gives the business a lifeline.
Putting a company into administration is not the end of the road. It is often the first step toward a more realistic and sustainable future for a business in financial difficulty.
This case study should hopefully serve as a reminder for business owners not to wait too long to adapt, not to mistake growth for health and not to assume customers will stick around and wait for you to evolve.
Giving you the full picture
If your business finds itself in a similar predicament as Bodycare was this year, or you wish to obtain general advice on the administration process, our team of specialist insolvency lawyers are able to assist you. We work closely alongside reputable insolvency practitioners and together we strive for the best possible outcome in the circumstances. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
