Lush Closes All UK Stores, Sites in Gaza Solidarity Protest

Lush, the UK-based cosmetics company known for its ethical sourcing and cruelty-free products, closed all its UK stores, factories, and website on September 3, 2025, in solidarity with Gaza amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The closure was accompanied by shop window messages stating "STOP STARVING GAZA – WE ARE CLOSED IN SOLIDARITY" to raise awareness and express support for those suffering from starvation and restricted aid due to the Israeli government's actions. Lush aims to pressure the UK government to take more decisive action, including ending arms sales to Israel, by denying it a day's worth of tax revenue from the company and its customers. The company acknowledged the difficulty of suspending business and apologized for any inconvenience caused to customers, emphasizing that many share anxiety over the situation. Lush highlighted its successful fundraising efforts through its "Watermelon Slice" soap, which supports child mental health and medical services, including prosthetic limb provision, in Palestine. The company hopes this symbolic act will amplify calls for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian support for Gaza.