Hobby & Craft Forums

ooh I'm intregued now, though know its probably top secret so wont ask

At 4 of the Farmers markets we do, we stand outside or very close to slush.

Interestingly, their staff come and buy from us - the manager at one shop tried to get us moved

They do have very clever marketing - all the natural blurb - but read the labels!

Like so many - stating that "only natural ingredients used" on looking at the ingredient listing, there is very little natural about most of the ingredients

Now how exciting that the Manager saw you as a threat, and that the staff would come to you to learn what real soap is supposed to look like and smell like, and even be presented like.

Half their stuff looks like it was made by kids, although could well have been considering it is made in 'poorer countries'. Fair trade of course, which is why, obviously it is all so expensive.

Ah, but is it Fair Trade - or fairly traded?

Quite interesting that they market their stuff as handmade and it isn't made in this country- how do the UK regulators check this and make sure their claims are true?

Hi Nicky,

I thought Lush made most of their products in the UK - they have plenty of warehouse space on the Nuffield Ind Est in Poole. I did hear a remark that they had a manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic, but nothing apart from that.

Where have you heard they are manufacturing? It's not something we've ever really paid any particular attention to but you've roused my curiosity!

...it was something Karen said above about their products being made in poorer countries although I personally wouldn't know where they're made to be honest. It does make me think though how othe companies (Lush aside) are regulated when their products are made outside of the UK though? I mean if a company states something is handmade, how do the British authorities/regulating bodies know it's handmade etc?

Nickie wrote:It does make me think though how othe companies (Lush aside) are regulated when their products are made outside of the UK though?

Point of origin is a fairly irrelevant matter.. if you sell soap or toys for example there is regulation that applies, it is no different if the product is made in Basingstoke or Bangladesh, just that the imported product should state where it was made.

Nickie wrote:I mean if a company states something is handmade, how do the British authorities/regulating bodies know it's handmade etc?

I doubt that "hand made" is a regulatory term.. it certainly falls under trading standards concerns, but I can't imagine TSO's run around looking for factory produced goods labelled as Handmade unless the claim is wildly transparent or an individual submits a complaint??

perhaps some of the forum folk who make and sell on a large scale can comment on whether they have ever had to prove "hand made" or comply with any legislation to that effect?

I cannot go into the Lush shops as just walking past makes me feel nauseous, I find the scents too many and too overpowering. Think I may be a bit odd as I love the smell of flowers and essential oils, hadnmade soaps and potions but Lush is too much.

Several labels said 'Fair Trade'. I think the Uk phrase is 'the minimum wage' or 'on the side' lol, so it gave the game away a bit. It may not be all the products - but to be honest, with them all looking so unattractive in shape and colour, it would not surprise me if they all were none UK.

Personally it pleases me that they could be overpowered by a contender without much effort. As I say - there is hope for everyone.