The founder of the ethical beauty products chain Body Shop has said the company has lost its political edge following its stock market listing.

"I wanted every shop to challenge the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to ask every Member of Parliament, and they won't do that," she said at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Ms Roddick questioned Body Shop's future.

She insisted that the stock market listing had made it into a profit maximising organisation and that this had killed the company's spirit.

"Did [the stock market flotation] work? Yes, it did. It gave us money to build manufacturing plants. Does it work now? I don't think so," she said.

"The market controls everything, but the market has no heart," she said.

Rebuttal

Ms Roddick's attack on the company she built from scratch came as part of a promotion speech for her new book which, paradoxically, receives praise on the Body Shop website.

The company rejected her criticism in a statement and said its stock market listing has enabled it to identify the differences between itself and other large companies which "are simply interested in maximizing profits whatever the cost for planet or people".

Two attempts have been made to de-list Body Shop, but both have failed.