{"id":403332,"date":"2026-02-02T04:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T04:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/403332\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T04:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T04:00:07","slug":"british-beauty-giant-scrambles-for-buyer-after-filing-for-administration-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/403332\/","title":{"rendered":"British beauty giant scrambles for buyer after filing for administration | UK | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barry M, one of Britain\u2019s most recognisable cosmetics brands, is urgently seeking a buyer after taking formal steps toward administration<\/a>, putting more than 40 years of family ownership at risk and highlighting the growing strain across the UK’s high street<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The London-based company, known for its colourful nail polishes<\/a>and affordable vegan cosmetics, has enlisted restructuring specialists Begbies Traynor to explore rescue options. Court filings show Barry M has given notice of its intention to appoint administrators, triggering a narrow window in which a sale or refinancing deal must be secured.<\/p>\n

The brand supplies major high-street chains including Boots<\/a> and Superdrug<\/a> and also sells directly through its own online store. Outwardly, the business appeared stable.<\/p>\n

Latest accounts show turnover climbing to \u00a317.4 million in the year to February 2024, with profits also improving. Behind the scenes, however, rising costs and supply-chain disruption have been eroding margins, leaving the company vulnerable despite growing sales.<\/p>\n

Founded in the 1970s by Barry Mero at East London\u2019s Ridley Road Market, Barry M grew into a cult British brand synonymous with bold colours and accessible pricing.<\/p>\n

After Mero\u2019s death in 2014, his son Dean took over the business, maintaining its ethical positioning as vegan and cruelty-free while building a strong social media following.<\/p>\n

Last year, the company attempted to refresh its image with its first major rebrand in decades, aiming to resonate with younger consumers through messaging around individuality and natural skin.<\/p>\n

The strategy failed to counter a worsening commercial environment, as energy prices, raw materials and labour costs surged.<\/p>\n

Barry M manufactures its products at a 45,000-square-foot factory in Mill Hill, north London, employing more than 100 people.<\/p>\n

While UK-based production has long been central to the brand\u2019s identity, it has become a financial burden in an economy where electricity prices and regulatory costs far exceed those faced by overseas rivals.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s plight mirrors a broader downturn in British beauty and retail.<\/p>\n

A wave of administrations and store closures has swept the sector over the past year, with both domestic and international brands scaling back amid weaker consumer demand and higher operating costs.<\/p>\n

If a buyer cannot be found quickly, an administrator will be appointed to decide whether Barry M can be restructured, sold intact, or broken up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Barry M, one of Britain\u2019s most recognisable cosmetics brands, is urgently seeking a buyer after taking formal steps…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":403333,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[13866,150616,84,59,1126,1125,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-403332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-administration","tag-barry-m","tag-business","tag-gb","tag-high-street","tag-store-closures","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=403332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/403333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=403332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=403332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=403332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}