Body Shop founder Anita Roddick plans to quit the business which made her a multi-millionaire.

Ms Roddick, 57, told the Argus: "I've grown up, I've grown apart. I want to move on. I don't want to sell bubble bath. I'm too political. I want to spend my time on issues now."

The Sussex-born entrepreneur, who lives in Slindon, set up her cosmetics business at a small shop in Brighton's Kensington Gardens 24 years ago.

It is now a multi-national empire with 1,754 shops in more than 47 countries.

Ms Roddick, who based her Body Shop empire in Littlehampton, the town where she grew up, is estimated to be worth around £50 million.

She downgraded her role in the company in 1998 when she stepped down as chief executive to become co-chairman with her husband,Gordon.

She said: "The business has definitely changed. It was very much a communications-led company where the issues were really high profile.

Now it's completely a product-led company.

"It's definitely not my company any more."

Ms Roddick vowed her departure would not be a traumatic event for the Body Shop: "It will be a very seamless and sweet process.

"It won't be a painful process. It won't be like a divorce, but this is the time to move on and pass it on.

"I think it's cult-like if you say 'This is mine' and you keep it to yourself because the shape of it can't progress."

Ms Roddick plans to campaign against the World Trade Organisation and the armaments industry, and "do some real populist campaigning that forces politicians to concentrate on something other than their own careers".

She added: "I don't want to have to keep on emoting about the shape of a bottle or whether or not we should go for elderberry body butter.

"I've got power, I've got influence, I've got money. If I can't do something for the public good, what the hell am I doing?"