A lot of people are convinced that Bath & Body Works backs Israel because of its leaders’ and owners’ relationship. The company is owned by L Brands (currently known as Bath & Body Works, Inc). Les Wexner, the company’s founder, and his predecessor have publicly supported Israel and donated to Zionist groups. This connection has prompted pro-Palestinian organizations and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) group to go on a boycott against Bath & Body Works. BDS targets businesses it believes are complicit in Israel’s policies and actions against Palestinians.
Palestinian rights groups describe Bath & Body Works as a “pro-Israeli brand” because it has pro-Israel connections and franchise agreements with Israeli firms, the groups say. It is the collective form of the hostile clustering of the boycott on companies that either directly or indirectly support Israel’s military or economic operations, which the critics term apartheid or occupation, that is a critical element in the BDS approach.
What actions can consumers take to pressure Bath & Body Works to change its stance on Israel?
Customers can take several significant steps to encourage Bath & Body Works to modify its position in Israel.
- Boycotting one of Bath & Body Works’ soaps, lotions, candles, or scents is one of the easiest ways to boycott their products.
- A diminished economic pressure on sales might force the company to reconsider political and commercial bonds.
- Customers can support firms such as Lush Cosmetics instead of firms associated with Israel.
- Customers can be up in political activism by compelling officials to stop US support for Israel, which affects businesses associated with Israeli interests.
- Contacting Bath & Body Works and its parent company directly by letter, by email, or through social media can require more openness and a departure from Israeli policies that violate Palestinian rights.
- Educating friends, family members, and the general public about the connections between the company and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its larger context is just as important as rallying their support.
What are the historical reasons behind Bath & Body Works’ involvement with Israel?
The owner of the Bath & Body Works company is L Brands, once a company that was once passionately supported by Israel’s Leslie H. Wexner. Wexner has, by implication, identified the brand with pro-Israel feelings as a result of his passionate advocacy for Israel and his tremendous pull in the business world. With Wexner linking politically and charitably to Israel in the world, this relationship has come under scrutiny and criticism led by organizations advocating for Palestinian rights.
Bath & Body Works has taken preemptive steps to make an entrance into the Israeli market via a franchise partnership as well as ownership connections. Delta Brands of Israel entered a specially tailored agreement to open and operate Bath & Body Works stores in Israel in 2023. This arrangement is a significant investment in the Israeli retail business, planning over 30 branch facilities by 2026 and an online platform.
The CEO of Delta Israel emphasized that this action is part of an overall growth and expansion strategy that proposes to bring the world’s best bath and body care brand to Israeli consumers and diversify the range of products carried here.
What are the most popular products from Bath & Body works in Israel?
Body care and home fragrance items in Israel are among the most popular things listed at Bath & Body Works, including vehicle fragrance products, body creams, hand and face creams, perfumes, scented candles, soaps, shower gels, and shampoos. Vanilla, Bourbon Strawberry, At the Beach, and Champagne Toast are very popular fragrances, which are among the most preferred among Israeli consumers. The consumers of the company love those fragrances, which are some of the unique products available in Israeli supermarkets.
To better serve Israeli customers, Bath & Body Works built five grocery points in Israel: two in Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Netanya, and Haifa. They have also begun an online store.
Despite the variety of products available in Israel, some products, including sunscreen, laundry scents, and certain series such as Bridgerton and Costa Rica, have not come to the markets of Israel.
Despite the fact that prices in Israel are, most time, higher than in the US and various other countries in Europe, there are coupons and deals with buyers of such kinds of offers “buy 3, get 1 free”. For example, body lotions (192 ml) with essential oils are about 90 shekels, shower gels (295 ml) are about 70 shekels, hand soaps (259 ml) are about 40 shekels, and automobile scent canisters (in pieces of three) are about 60 shekels.
How has the boycott impacted Bath & Body Works’ overall sales?
The boycott has not had a significant effect on wholesale sales of Bath & Body Works that can be measured in or long term. The boycotts of consumers are generally short or merely symbolic, as they usually return to purchase products a short while later following calls on social media for a boycott. Lack of sustained customer loyalty in turn cripples the boycott’s capacity to depress sales. Net sales for Bath & Body Works changed in 2021 as a result of changing consumer trends and not boycotts.
The business itself has toned down its 2024 sales prediction and is expecting a 2%–4% decline. However, more general conditions of the market account for this, not political boycotts. Such politically initiated boycotts may cause a short-term dip in sales, albeit with the social media buzz, but are countered by the withstanding support of other consumer classes.
How has the boycott influenced Bath & Body Works’ market share?
Based on data up until late 2024, Bath & Body Works’ share in the overall retail industry’s market was about 0.76% to 0.79% and showed only slight variations from one quarter to another. This level of market share leaves it far behind in comparison to major retailers such as Walmart and Target, but the same market share makes it consistent within its specialty product segment. The overall market share of the business has not been significantly affected because of the boycott call on the company due to the company’s alleged ties with Israel.
The business is resilient financially, with quarterly sales growth of 3.1% and robust investor confidence in the face of boycotts and geopolitics. Many boycott movements do not work to gain momentum, thus failing to make long-term impacts on market share. Though boycotts are raging, Bath & Body Works’ market share and competitive position are stable, while their awareness and social media traction are increasing.
