London —The British cosmetics retailer Lush shuttered every one of its shops, factories, and its website across the UK on Tuesday, halting business to protest what it described as Israel’s deliberate starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
The closure, which stretched across hundreds of storefronts, was accompanied by stark window displays and digital banners reading, “Stop starving Gaza – We are closed in solidarity.” The company said it intended to send a direct message to Britain’s government to end arms sales to Israel and take action against the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the besieged territory.
Executives estimated the move cost the business roughly £300,000 in lost revenue, a sacrifice they called insignificant when compared to the lives at risk in Gaza. Co-founder Mark Constantine said that money would have been better spent alleviating suffering rather than enriching Israel through British arms deals. “There comes a time when silence is complicity,” he told local reporters.
Employees were still paid during the shutdown, underscoring what the company described as its commitment to principles above profit. The decision follows Lush’s long record of social activism, from environmental campaigns to advocacy for human rights, but analysts said closing all shops in the country represented the boldest step yet in its history.
The chain also highlighted its ongoing “Watermelon Slice” soap campaign, which raises funds for mental health services for Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank. That product has become one of the brand’s most successful fundraising items, further cementing Lush’s reputation as one of the few Western corporations willing to confront Israel’s Gaza war directly.
The one-day action drew praise from Palestinian advocacy groups, who said Lush had set a precedent for ethical business leadership, and criticism from pro-Israel lobbyists, who accused the company of “politicizing retail.” Still, the message of solidarity reverberated across Britain’s high streets and online platforms.
According to The Guardian, the protest was explicitly tied to calls for an immediate end to UK arms exports to Israel and a demand for stronger government pressure to halt “death and destruction” in the Gaza war. The report noted that staff were paid in full for the day, even as shops remained closed, further underscoring the seriousness of the company’s stance.
