Beauty and skincare chain, The Body Shop, has gone into administration in the UK.

Aurelius, a buyout company who bought the retailer in November, described a ‘dismal trading’ period over Christmas and new year. FRP Advisory has been appointed as administrator.

The Body Shop stores will remain open while the next steps are considered.

Here, Which? explains what this means for your refunds, gift cards and online orders.

Will I receive my online order?

Rest assured that you should still receive your products if you recently placed an order.

The administrators confirmed on 13 February that all outstanding online orders will be fulfilled.

We’ll update this story if anything changes.

  • Read more: how to get your money back after a company goes bust.

Will my gift card or voucher be honored?

Gift cards are currently still being accepted online and in stores, but the administrators can decide to stop honoring them at any point, so it’s best to spend any vouchers you might have sooner rather than later.

Stores are still open and trading as usual, and you can also still place orders online.

If the administrators do stop accepting gift cards, you’ll likely need to make a claim in writing.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get all your money back, though, and it could take up to 12 months to process the claim.

  • Find out more: use our letter template to claim a refund for vouchers from bust company.

Can I return items?

Frustratingly, the administrator has decided to stop honoring returns, but you can still make in-store exchanges.

There are a few ways you can try to get your money back if you’re stuck with an item you’d planned to take back.

If you paid by credit or debit card, it’s worth it making a chargeback claim with your bank.

You can also make a claim in writing to the administrator, explaining what you’re owed and what for.

Read more on how to get your money back after a company goes bust.