The sexual wellness brand Lovehoney has received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales over the last six years.

Since 2015, overseas sales have grown from £12m to £56m, an overall rise of 365%.
The award – described as ‘the highest accolade for business success’ – allows Lovehoney to use the Queen’s Award emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for a period of five years as a symbol of quality and success.

Debbie Bond, Lovehoney’s chief commercial officer, said: “We are thrilled to have received official recognition from the Queen. Her Majesty has been a wonderful supporter of Lovehoney as we have grown into being the world’s leading sexual wellness brand. Royal patronage will help us to create more jobs at our Bath headquarters and in our international offices and spread the sexual happiness message globally.

“The Queen is the UK’s greatest trade ambassador and royal approval shows again how mainstream shoppers and retail outlets are embracing sexual wellness products as never before and appreciating their importance in improving overall well-being – a particularly important message as we come out of lockdown after a stressful year living with the pandemic.

“A huge well done to the Lovehoney team on tremendous performance over the last few years – here’s to a bigger and brighter 2021!”

Lovehoney is the UK’s biggest online adult retailer and has eight other websites globally including the US, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, EU, Canada and New Zealand. It has a global customer base of 2.2 million people and a 400-strong workforce.

Lovehoney’s global expansion was boosted by winning the official licence to make all official Fifty Shades of Grey pleasure products.

It has created several ranges with E L James, author of the trilogy, including new collections to celebrate the books’ 10th birthday this year.

This is the second time Lovehoney has won a Queen’s Award from Her Majesty.

It received the Queen’s Award for International Trade five years ago and founders Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford and other winners met the Queen and Prince Philip at a garden party at Buckingham Palace.