Millionaire behind Stansted climate change protest owns shops at AIRPORTS around the world

Robert Mendick and Nigel Rosser
UK Daily Mail
Friday, Dec 12, 2008

The tycoon bankrolling the anti-aviation activists who stormed Stansted owns shops in airports around the world.
Mark Constantine, the owner of Lush Cosmetics, was today accused of profiting from airline passengers while funding groups whose actions can severely disrupt their journeys.

Lush has contributed £20,000 to anti-aviation organisations including Plane Stupid, which masterminded the protest at Stansted by more than 50 activists that brought flights to a standstill for two hours on Monday, reports London's Evening Standard.

Lush has shops in airports in Tokyo, Toronto and Orlando in Florida. A branch at Heathrow shut in 2004 because it was an 'unsuccessful retail location'.

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The website for Narita Airport, just outside Tokyo, says of its Lush shop: 'Fresh handmade cosmetics store from the UK. The first store at an airport in Japan! Lip balms and moisturiser sprays are available to prevent dry skin during the flight.'

The revelation prompted a backlash from the air industry and its supporters.

A spokesman for BAA, which owns Stansted, said: 'We have no gripe with Mr Constantine personally but if you are supporting anti-aviation groups and at the same time you are placing stores in airports around the world - that does suggest a mismatch of messages and is slightly hypocritical.'

Full article here