So there's a lesson here:
Use all natural products -- die anyway.

Very sad, and shocking news. I was just talking with Shelley Simmons from the Body Shop last week on our podcast show and found myself very impressed to hear about the extent of Anita's vision, and her impact on the industry.

Condolences to Anita's family, friends, and co-workers during this difficult time.

I'm sure Mr Anonymous here will be thinking on his death-bed "I wish I'd spent more time tearing people down, snarking behind a cowardly anonymous label at anyone who ever tried to make a difference."

RIP Anita Roddick. Thanks for helping people, and making products I could buy with a clear conscience. The company wasn't the same after you left.

While not wanting to feed the trolls, that's pretty lame. As you well know, it's all luck.

(And to use some humour, it didn't say used her own products ;) ! )

RIP, Anita.

Is that the only reason you would/do use natural products - to live longer? What about concern for the planet and ALL it's other residents? OverMatt is right - pretty lame indeed.
Anita was awesome, a true role model. R.I.P.

As you well know, it's all luck.

If good health were all luck, then we could all just eat and behave however we all wished and death would come randomly. It's part luck (genetics) and part choice (environment/behavior).

though it is part of differentiating the product, i believe that all is for the good cause (for the animals, that is).

Posting on product labels that one does not test on animals does not mean that the Body Shop didn't use past research of companies who did. By all means, may I hope this women RIP, but I do not think she is a saint. She understand how to market a product by leveraging the animal research that other companies perfected.

By all means, may I hope this women RIP, but I do not think she is a saint.

Very few people are. That's why it's a word we reserve for a very special number.

Just because she's not a saint doesn't mean you must be critical of her and not have some sense of perspective of the balance of good versus bad in her life as you know it.

Anita was a wonderful lady. She used to stay at the guesthouse we used to manage in New Orleans (a $50 a night guesthouse... no fancy digs for her) while helping the cause of the Angola 3 (3 men held unfairly in solitary in Angola Prison for almost 3 decades). I'm very sorry to hear of her passing - she was a true inspiration whose actions spoke louder than her words.

RIP Anita - she brought important publicity to the topic of inhumane animal testing, which I am grateful for.

RIP Anita - she brought much needed attetion to the topic of inhumane animal testing - which we have appreciated. We can split hairs on whether she used other research for their products - but most importantly people actually took notice on the subject.

Came across an online tribute for Anita I posted on: http://www.respectance.com/AnitaRoddick

Most divorse business from sustainability and responsibilty - Anita did not. I just hope that gets remembered as an example for others.

Although there has been animal testing in the past, The Body Shop never conducted it of its own accord. I think the point here is that there are still companies out there actively testing. It is very sad.

Sadly it is true that the company was never the same when she steped away from the day to day business but, they are still doing more work on issues than most companies out there.

Everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon and selling RED products but The Body Shop has focused on these issues from the beginning.

She will be missed.