L'Oreal boss eyes major Body Shop expansion

London, Oct 3: L'Oreal Chief Executive Jean-Paul Agon feels the French cosmetics firm could more than double the number of its recently acquired Body Shop stores ''in a few years'', he told the Financial Times in an interview.

''This brand has a worldwide potential. It is already in more than 50 countries and 2,000 stores but in a few years from now it could be in 100 countries and 5,000 stores,'' Agon said.

China is of interest to Body Shop, originally a British beauty products chain that seeks to source its products in an ethical way, the L'Oreal boss said. The brand has already launched in India. Agon also saw potential for the chain in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

Similar to the ethical basis of Body Shop, L'Oreal is exploring alternatives to testing new chemical ingredients on animals such as by using artificially produced human skin.

''The big ambition in terms of animal testing is to make animal testing disappear completely and forever in the beauty industry. And we absolutely share this vision with Anita Roddick and the Body Shop,'' Agon said.

''Except that our way to achieve it is not to say that we are going to be out of the categories that require (animal testing) today but (that) we are inventing like crazy on alternative methods for the future.''

Reuters