LUSH unveils first ever 24-hour automated 'micro store' shopping experience
Lush has opened its first fully automated shopping experience in London, following the news that the retailer has returned to profit.
The vending machine shopping experience is open to customers 24 hours a day at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, and will be regularly restocked with Lush products.
The vending machine, which is designed by Anmac, will initially run for six months and offers a variety of products and gift sets. It also runs on a low-energy output, according to the retailer.
Ethical beauty brand Lush has opened the doors to its first-ever 24 hour automated retail experience.
Located at Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross, London, the vending machine retail experience will offer shoppers a variety of Lush's handmade products and gifts including its Rose jam body wash, Peachy bath bomb and Sleepy body lotion.
“Lush has always strived to dazzle our customers, from our product innovations through to bringing our core values into every aspect of our retailing,” said Charlotte Howe, Lush Group Retail Team.
“It is a retail theatre that never sleeps, live glow on the go!”
The iLocker vending machine is designed by automatic retailer provider Anmac, owned by couple Andrew Alpine and Gemma Jackson best known for their design on the TV series Game of Thrones.
The machine displays a 360º retail experience for shoppers with its design claiming to run on a low energy output.
“We are passionate about sustainable design and unattended retail theatre for brands and retailers who wish to offer a new shopping experience to their customers,” added Rob Amor, Chief Operating Officer at Anmac.
“We hope this is the first of many Anmac iLockers that we can bring to Lush customers globally and assist in helping to keep the high street a place of retail desire and fun shopping adventures.”
Lush’s global environmental reporting lead Helen Cox said: “These exciting innovative micro stores will allow us to get our wonderful fresh handmade products into the hands of even more consumers, making it easier for them to make ethical choices.
“These allow us to get more of our hero products into the world without the operating impact of a full store.”
Vending machines may not have made as big an impact as expected in recent years, but they still hold huge potential and especially for the beauty sector. We could see more developments as the technology improves and as consumers seek more flexible options that give them 24/7 access to shoppable products.
Lush also plans to add nine new stores to its 919-strong retail estate in the year ending June 30. At the same time it will also complete eight relocations to larger stores.
The pop-up will initially run for six months with plans for the products and design to be interchangeable.
