In light of the ever increasing virtuality of the retail market and in turn consumer experience,

it takes much more to engage the general public. Lush not only testify this change, but
seemingly thrive with it through their take on ‘experience retail’. In the days of in-person
shopping, the type of retail experience in Lush stores, to the knowledge of the public was
down to the charming staff and face mask samples. Yet looking at some of the techniques
used to give the ‘Lush Experience’ we see that it is much deeper than this.

Diversity and Inclusion are just some of core values of the company, and such can be seen,
or rather heard, in the approaches to customers. The encouraged use of the pronoun ‘they’
for customers ensures a political correctness that comforts modern society, as their gender is
not known. Gender equality is furthered in terms of experience to the anti-colour-gendering:
staff members work to break down the public’s connections between pink and girls for
instance. The term masculine to describe fragrance is frowned upon; employment of staff
from all backgrounds and the same pay for all; evident support of LGBTQ+ rights and
presence at Pride events give a sense of community with the company. The training of staff
is knowledge heavy and gives them expertise in all the science and ethics, from the picking
of roses by refugees to supporting grassroots schemes. Know-how then included in the
shopper’s experience, in turn building confidence in customer/staff relations. It is obvious
that the consumer is more aware than ever, and this surge in information can only be
strengthened by well informed staff. Almost like a pharmacy assistant, the staff in the
company sit down and talk through your issues and recommend products. Audience
enlightenment exists truthfully only in transparency and this is one of the reasons each
ingredient can be traced back to the farmer.

Yet to speak more relevantly to today, these company ideas are carried through onto their
online presence. Models are from all demographics. Notable campaign imagery contains
Italian men in the sauna, to Afro-Caribbean hair models in Lush’s focus on the Black Lives
Matter movement. The Lush family is so diverse it feels almost utopian to the customer.
Arguably a much needed escape from the increased discrimination of today’s landscape.
Transparency was continued in the BLM movement, with open discussions about the
company's internal policies affecting race. Another significant facet of the company is the
familiarity and personal angle of the way it works. Lockdown saw a loss of connection
between people, between the merry cast of the company and the customers. To tackle this,
proactively each store had staff social media ‘take-overs’. Vlogs. Skincare routines. Yoga.
After all there is nothing more on trend than practicing mindfulness with an environmentally
friendly face mask.

These elements evince the company’s ability to pull many types of people, and give a sense
of joy and personal touch to an ever bleak humanity.