{{Short description|British business selling erotic items}} {{Infobox company | industry = Retail<ref>{{cite web |title=UK Gov Companies House |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06016233 |publisher=UK Gov Companies House}}</ref> | image = LovehoneyLogo.jpg | founded = 2002 | founder = Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford | subsid = Womanizer | website = https://www.lovehoney.co.uk/ }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} '''Lovehoney''' is a British business that sells sex toys, lingerie and erotic gifts on the Internet. Their tagline is "the sexual happiness people". In addition to retailing, Lovehoney has more than 400 own brand products and does development and publicity. In 2014 the company was the focus of a television show entitled ''Frisky Business'', which looked at their day-to-day operations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Frozen vibrators and gold-plated sex toys – the UK's naughtiest office hits our screens|url=http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Bath-based-Lovehoney-s-Frisky-Business-TV-series/story-20849956-detail/story.html|publisher=Western Daily Press|accessdate=19 October 2014|archive-date=18 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418233432/http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Bath-based-Lovehoney-s-Frisky-Business-TV-series/story-20849956-detail/story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Background== Lovehoney was founded in Bath, Somerset in 2002 by Richard Longhurst (former editor of ''.net magazine'' and ''PC Format'') and Neal Slateford (former member of DNA). The company employs 230 people in the area, and is an official UK distributor of Durex products.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Online adult store LoveHoney extends into wholesale with Durex deal |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/online-adult-store-lovehoney-extends-wholesale-durex-deal/483763?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social |access-date=2025-11-14 |website=www.campaignlive.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> In 2009–10, Lovehoney had a turnover of £10.4 million and profits of £1.5 million<ref name="Another good year for Lovehoney">{{cite web |date=10 March 2011 |title=Another good year for Lovehoney |url=http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313235408/http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 March 2011 |accessdate=16 March 2011 |publisher=The Bath Chronicle}}</ref> In 2010–11, it had a turnover of £13.4 million, and in 2011–12, it had a turnover of £16 million. In 2020–21, the turnover was £87.3 million.
== History == Lovehoney launched its online store in 2002, operating from Richard Longhurst's bedroom. The next year Lovehoney moved into a small warehouse, and became a limited company.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Lovehoney developed its first product in 2005, a music-activated vibrator called iBuzz.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}
In 2007, Lovehoney launched the world's first sex toy recycling scheme, called Rabbit Amnesty.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} In 2009, Lovehoney announced the first ''Lovehoney Design A Sex Toy Competition''. The winner of that competition was Trevor Murphy with the ''Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator''. The Lovehoney Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator is the bestselling oral sex simulation sex toy in the world. Lovehoney USA was launched to sell Lovehoney own brand products wholesale to the United States.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}
In 2011, Lovehoney expanded its warehouse and workforce<ref name="Another good year for Lovehoney" /> and the company is rebranded, with the cartoon mascot "Honey" being dropped and the tagline "the sexual happiness people" adopted. Lovehoney was featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled ''More Sex Please, We're British'' in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 April 2012 |title=More Sex Please, We're British |url=http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |publisher=Channel 4 |accessdate=28 April 2012 |archive-date=13 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313235408/http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/good-year-Lovehoney/article-3312192-detail/article.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in 2012, Lovehoney secured exclusive world rights outside the Americas to design, manufacture and sell products based on the ''Fifty Shades'' trilogy by E. L. James.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 January 2013 |title=Rise in demand boosts Lovehoney |url=http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/south-west/82609-rise-demand-boosts-lovehoney |publisher=Insider Media |accessdate=7 January 2013 |archive-date=11 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111015736/http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/south-west/82609-rise-demand-boosts-lovehoney? |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013, a Lovehoney advert was the first to say "sex toys" on British television.<ref>{{Citation |title='Happy Talk' Lovehoney's Ground-Breaking TV Ad Campaign |date=20 November 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TlTQriEZQ |accessdate=2015-11-18 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063412/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TlTQriEZQ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed|date=May 2026}}
Lovehoney released the television show ''Frisky Business'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldfingle |first1=Gemma |title=Lovehoney to turn on viewers with new TV series Frisky Business |url=http://www.retail-week.com/lovehoney-to-turn-on-viewers-with-new-tv-series-frisky-business/5057625.article |website=RetailWeek |publisher=EMAP Publishing Limited |accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref> Lovehoney purchased a majority stake in Alan Frei's company Amorana in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bartholomew |first=Rafe |date=2025-12-05 |title=The Philippines, a nation without winters, might make the Olympics in curling |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6865228/2025/12/05/philippine-mens-curling-winter-olympics-qualifiers/ |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2021, Lovehoney received The Queen's Award for Enterprise.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Abraham |first1=Ellie |title=Sex toy brand given royal approval with Queen's Award |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-sex-toy-lovehoney-b1840135.html |work=The Independent |date=April 2021 |archive-date=19 January 2024 |access-date=19 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119051044/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-sex-toy-lovehoney-b1840135.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in 2021, Lovehoney underwent a merger with WOW Tech to become Lovehoney Group,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Edelson |first1=Sharon |title=Wow Tech And Lovehoney Becomes World's Largest Sexual Wellness Company With $1.2 Billion Merger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sharonedelson/2021/08/12/wow-tech-and-lovehoney-becomes-worlds-largest-sexual-wellness-company-with-12-billion-merger/?sh=71c742224529 |work=Forbes |date=August 2021}}</ref> and was later featured in Channel 4's Christmas-themed documentary titled ''Naughty & Nice: Sex Toy Britain''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Channel 4 |title=Naughty & Nice: Sex Toy Britain |url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/naughty-nice-sex-toy-britain |website=Channel 4 |access-date=19 January 2024 |archive-date=19 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119051044/https://www.channel4.com/programmes/naughty-nice-sex-toy-britain |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Notes and references== <references /> * {{cite news| title = Starting out| work=The Telegraph| publisher=Telegraph Media Group| date = 28 August 2005| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2005/08/29/cbstar29.xml| accessdate = 21 February 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * {{cite news | last = Hunt| first = Justin| title = Good vibrations|work=The Guardian |location=UK| publisher=Guardian News and Media| date = 29 April 2004| url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2004/apr/29/businesssolutionssupplement5| access-date = 21 February 2008}}
== External links == *[https://www.lovehoney.co.uk/ Lovehoney UK Official site] *[https://www.lovehoney.com/ Lovehoney US Official Site] *[https://www.lovehoney.com.au/ Lovehoney AU Official Site] *[https://www.sexplore.co.uk/ Sexplore UK Official Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430164048/https://sexplore.co.uk/ |date=30 April 2021 }}
Category:Retail companies established in 2002 Category:Internet properties established in 2002 Category:Mail-order retailers Category:Online retailers of the United Kingdom Category:Sex shops Category:Companies based in Bath, Somerset Category:2002 establishments in the United Kingdom