giantism. All these big retailing companies seem to be led by accountants and
they seem to have become just versions of the Post Office or the
Department of Motor Vehicles.
Retailing at the moment is a combination of war and sport in designer uni-
forms, with its obsession with corporate raiding, acquisitions of acres, strate-
gies, niche markets, specialisation and empire building, where their only sense
of adventure is in their profit and loss sheet. We have never once been
seduced into believing we are anything more than simply traders.Her belief is that the essential difference between The Body Shop and other
retailers is explained in the words of Niemann Marcus: ‘Profit is not the
The referral and influence market domains 289
Table 4.3.1 Financial performance, 1986–90 (£’000)19901 19891 19892 19873 19863Turnover:–UK & Eire 56 901 41 412 54 754 21 255 13 560
Turnover: –Overseas 27 579 13 997 18 253 7221 3834
Turnover: –Total 84 480 55 409 73 007 28 476 17 394
Pre-tax profit 14 508 11 232 15 243 5998 3451
Earnings per share 10.0p 7.4p 10.2p 4.65p 2.58p
No of outlets: UK 139 112 112 89 77
No of outlets: –Overseas 318 255 255 186 15519901 19891 19892Group turnover:
United Kingdom & Eire 56 901 41 412 54 754
Other EEC countries 6962 4136 5445
Rest of Europe 3910 2717 3966
USA 5839 874 874
Rest of North America 5860 3194 4244
Australasia 3544 2119 2454
Asia 1464 957 1270
84 480 55 409 73 007Group trading profits:
United Kingdom & Eire 13 486 9745 13 015
Other EEC countries 1566 904 1254
Rest of Europe 996 932 1270
USA (1941) (1632) (1820)
Rest of North America 1481 887 1082
Australasia 915 326 422
Asia 389 222 324
16 892 11 384 15 547(^1) Years ended 28 February, (^2) 17 months ended 28 February, (^3) years ended 30 September.