We'll usually move on if you don't take the bait. Corporate officers should rarely talk to someone in the press unless they know them well. On the other hand, a press inquiry is a wake up call. It's signaling that something is wrong. You may have lost touch with customers or employees.
Good reporters are usually on to something, even if it's only a public relations issue.
Don't ignore a warning sign. The response of The Body Shop turned a manageable crisis into a tabloid fiasco. Their self-righteousness just reinforced the allegations. Their insular corporate character became the story. Hubris and hypocrisy are the blood for a shark.