Lush Staff Protest By Showing Up Naked For Work (Photos)

Employees at Lush Cosmetics stores nationwide came to work nude to protest over-packaging. 

The retail store first stated in a press release that employees who were willing would strip naked on one particular day. Sure enough, staff members showed up to work wearing nothing but company aprons as a statement about the environment and the harmful packaging that contributes to 80 percent of litter.

Both male and female employees took part in the protest, baring themselves for the cause. Some were completely naked while others wore underwear underneath the aprons.

“Most of the plastic that has ever been produced still exists today, which is why it’s high time for businesses across all industries to take responsibility and present new generations of consumers with eco-friendly alternatives,” Lush’s Director of Brand Communications Brandi Halls said in a statement, the Daily Mail reported. 

“As a company, we tend to go all the way for causes we believe in. If flashing our bums inspires consumers and industry to reconsider their packaging practices, then we’d say it’s definitely worth a few blushes.”

Many readers felt as though the protest was nothing more than a PR stunt for the store.

“So they went bare to go against packaging and how bad it is for the environment and how much it cost, but yet sell their gift packages for $10 more than the items all cost if you were to buy them separately,” one Daily Mail reader commented. “Stating it is the artist that creates the packaging with recycled material. The said gift packages are mass produced and not individualized. First and last time with Lush. This is a way to get more PR.”

Others felt the employees should’ve taken their protest one step further.

“If their concerns about the environment were legitimate and add merit to it,” one Mad World News reader commented on the site’s Facebook page. “They should show us the way. Like taking public transportation and carpooling, shop at the second hand stores instead of buying off the rack ,from countries that pollute the most like China.”

“So they have no problem with the harsh way make up is tested or made, just the plastic bag they put the make up case which is plastic by the way that you bought from them?” another questioned. 

The Lush website notes it does not test on animals, makes all its products by hand and says it believes “in happy people making happy soap.”

Other readers applauded the company for making a statement and taking a stand.

“Actually, I dont usually ever shop at Lush but seeing this now makes me want to,” one reader commented. “TOO MUCH IMMORAL PACKAGING and lack of Recycling people! And these Lush employees are taking a stand for it. Meanwhile you precious Me self centered wingebags focusing ontheir bodies and hygiene and their sexual preference gender their ‘egos’ blah blah have just missed the point entirely.”

Sources: Daily Mail, Mad World News/Facebook, Lush / Photo credit: Mike Mozart/Flickr, Instagram via Daily Mail