The Body Shop India – and other Asian stores – will remain unaffected by the global beauty brand’s restructuring of its UK operations.

“This administration process does not impact The Body Shop India as it is a head franchise market. All our stores are open as usual,” said Shriti Malhotra, CEO of the brand’s Indian franchise owner, Quest Retail.

The Body Shop UK has collapsed into administration, months after Aurelius acquired the beauty retailer from Brazil’s Natura & Co. early this month Aurelius announced the sale of the Asian business it directly controlled.

“After years of unprofitability and following a full evaluation of The Body Shop’s UK business, the joint administrators have concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable,” said the administrator, FRP Advisory.

“It is expected that at the conclusion of the restructuring, more than half of The Body Shop’s 198 UK stores will remain open.”

The stores in Surrey Quays London, Oxford Street London, Canary Wharf London, Cheapside London, Nuneaton, Ashford town centre Kent and Queens Road Bristol are among the first sites to be shut.

The Body Shop UK will also reduce its head office jobs by 40 per cent to 400 permanent positions.