Holland & Barrett commits to reaching 10 million people a year with preventative health services by 2030

Holland & Barrett has launched Back Your Body, a long-term commitment that could shift the 150-year-old retailer's positioning from health store to preventative health provider.

The initiative centres on three pillars:

1. Free in-store health consultations at scale
2. Expanded access for underserved communities
3. Deeper investment in science-backed own-brand products

What the commitment includes

In-store expertise

Holland & Barrett's Wellness Champions have completed more than 500,000 hours of UK-accredited training, including five modules endorsed by the Nutrition Society. The company invests £1.5 million annually in ongoing training for in-store and online staff. The check-ins are free, require no GP referral, and are designed to intervene before issues escalate to clinical care.

Health equity and access

The retailer has committed to reaching at least 10 million people annually by 2030 through community programmes, charity partnerships, and its in-store, online, and digital channels.

Every store now has a dedicated Women's Health Coach, with expanded training on the menstrual cycle developed by medical professionals. Consultations are available in Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Hindi. Free menopause and menstrual helplines, run in partnership with Menopause Mandate and The Endometriosis Foundation, continue as part of the offering. The retailer also operates a Women's Health Community Fund to support health projects in underserved communities.

Science-led own brand

All 800-plus Holland & Barrett own-brand products are developed in collaboration with in-house registered nutritionists, chefs, and experts, with a stated focus on evidence-based wellness.

Diagnostics and pharmacy partnerships

Alongside the check-in programme, Holland & Barrett is building out clinical services through two partnerships. Its collaboration with Randox Health places diagnostic testing inside stores — including blood testing and personalised health insights — with over 10,000 tests already completed across initial locations.

A separate partnership with Well Pharmacy has introduced what the retailer calls a "pharmacy of the future" concept, integrating clinical services, prescription collection, and wellness support into a single high-street destination.

For its own workforce, the company offers colleagues a yearly Randox diagnostic health test (after six months of service), access to a private GP service, and discounted products.

Why it matters

Holland & Barrett is making a bet that the future of health retail on the high street involves delivering services, not just selling products. The company's own research, based on a survey of UK adults, found that 74% agree preventative health habits are important, but 45% only act on their health "when something goes wrong." Meanwhile, 40% of respondents disagree that the government is actively helping them be proactive.

That gap between stated policy ambition — the UK government's 10 Year Health Plan calls for a shift toward prevention — and lived consumer experience is where Holland & Barrett sees its commercial and social opening. The retailer cites an estimated £85 billion annual cost to the UK economy from poor workforce health as further evidence of unmet need.

For operators and investors watching European health and wellness retail, the strategic signal is clear. Holland & Barrett is repositioning its high-street footprint as preventative health infrastructure: part retail, part advisory service, part diagnostic clinic.