What Holland & Barrett does

Holland & Barrett is a UK-based health and wellness retailer founded in 1870, headquartered in Nuneaton, operating more than 1,300 physical stores across the UK and Ireland (including 70 in Ireland) and selling in 16 countries. The company sells vitamins, supplements, minerals, sports nutrition, natural beauty products, and own-brand wellness formulations, supported by in-store expert advice and a growing digital channel. Reported FY2025 revenue (year ending September 30, 2025) was £981 million, up 11% YoY, with store sales of £731.3 million and digital sales of £249.4 million (+20% YoY).

The business model is multi-channel: physical retail, owned e-commerce website and app, a third-party marketplace (launched March 2026 with approximately 2,500 products), and international distribution partnerships. Underlying technology includes a health and wellness retail platform augmented by the acquired Avie biometrics-based personalization engine, a DnaNudge express DNA testing pilot, AI-powered skin and scalp assessments via the DFI Retail Group partnership, and AutoStore-enabled supply chain infrastructure backed by a £300 million technology investment commitment.

The customer base is a horizontal mass market of health-conscious consumers in the UK and Ireland, with no enterprise anchor customers or segment concentration disclosed. The company has broadened into clinically-adjacent services via the Phlo partnership for GLP-1 weight management and into digital health verticals through wholly-owned acquisitions of Avie (biometrics, 2023) and Parla (women's mental wellness, 2022). Geographic expansion is concentrated in Asia Pacific via DFI Retail Group, with Singapore re-entered in June 2026 and further markets (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Macau) planned. The company is privately held with 5,001–10,000 employees.

Name

Holland & Barrett

Legal name

Holland & Barrett

Website

https://hollandandbarrett.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Holland & Barrett is a UK-founded health and wellness retailer operating 1,300+ stores across the UK, Ireland, and 16 countries, selling vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition, and own-brand wellness products to mass-market health-conscious consumers through retail, e-commerce, and a recently launched third-party marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health & Wellness Retail

NAICS

Food (Health) Supplement Retailers (456191), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Food & Supplement Stores (CRAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health, Wellness & Pharmacy Online Retailers (CRAFADAG)

Keywords

• Health food retail
• Vitamin supplements
• Wellness products
• Sports nutrition
• Natural beauty

Headquarters

HQ city

Nuneaton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Holland & Barrett is a UK-based health and wellness retailer selling vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition, natural beauty, and own-brand weight management products through over 1,300 physical stores across 16 countries plus an e-commerce platform. The company has expanded into digital wellness services via the Avie biometrics platform, Parla women's mental health support, the DnaNudge express DNA testing service, and Phlo-partnered GLP-1 weight management offerings. Most recently it launched a third-party marketplace of approximately 2,500 health and wellness products with multiple fulfillment options including same-day Click & Collect.

Product overview

Holland & Barrett is a health and wellness retailer operating a multi-channel platform combining physical retail stores with digital services. The core offering centers on science-led wellness products including vitamins, supplements, and nutritional solutions sold through approximately 1,000 UK and Ireland stores and online platforms. The company has expanded beyond traditional retail into digital health services through strategic acquisitions (Avie for personalized wellness, Parla for women's health) and partnerships (Phlo for weight management). The 2026 marketplace launch adds a platform model with third-party sellers. The Avie platform provides personalized recommendations using biometrics and behavioral science, integrated alongside the DnaNudge DNA testing service and AI-powered skin/scalp assessments in international markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Science-Led Wellness Products Core product line of vitamins, supplements, minerals, sports nutrition, and natural beauty products sold to health-conscious consumers through company-owned retail stores and online channels.
• Holland & Barrett Marketplace A marketplace platform for health and wellness products featuring approximately 2,500 products from various third-party brands, with fulfillment options including standard shipping, express delivery, and same-day Click & Collect from physical stores.
• Phlo Weight Management Services Weight management services including GLP-1 weight loss treatments provided through partnership with Scottish online pharmacy Phlo, including patient assessment, prescribing, dispensing, and ongoing clinical support.
• Holland & Barrett Own-Brand Weight Management Range Company's own-brand weight management product range with new launches throughout 2026 and beyond, complementing the Phlo partnership for clinically-supervised services.
• Avie Wellness Platform Fitness technology platform providing biometrics-based personalized wellness services using activity data and behavioral science for health testing, tracking, and improvement tools.
• Parla Women's Health Platform Virtual support platform for women's mental wellness specializing in support after pregnancy loss, aimed at expanding wellness solutions and normalizing women's health issues.
• HEMPE Pain-Relief Gel Pain-relief gel created by former commando Farard Darver, listed by Holland & Barrett and Boots; the first gel containing CBD to gain NSF Certified for Sport certification.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Boots: UK's largest health & beauty retailer with ~2,200 stores, owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance. Sells vitamins, supplements, and pharmacy services alongside broader beauty/grocery ranges, directly competing with H&B in UK high streets and increasingly in digital health services (e.g., weight management, online pharmacy).
• Superdrug: UK high-street health & beauty retailer with ~800 stores selling vitamins, supplements, and personal care at value prices. Competes with H&B at the lower-priced end of the supplement category and on UK high-street convenience.
• Whole Foods Market: Amazon-owned premium natural and organic food retailer. Comparable in the natural/organic supplement category and shared customer base of health-conscious consumers, with overlapping own-brand and science-led positioning at the premium end.

Direct peers

• GNC: Global specialty retailer of vitamins, minerals, and supplements with thousands of franchised and company-owned stores. Operates in adjacent UK market through GNC Live Well, offering the closest direct product overlap with H&B's core vitamin/supplement assortment and own-brand positioning.
• Vitamin Shoppe: US specialty retailer of vitamins, supplements, and wellness products with ~700 stores and a strong DTC e-commerce platform. Direct peer in terms of product mix (vitamins, sports nutrition, natural products) and omni-channel strategy, though primarily US-focused.

Regional players

• Watsons (AS Watson Group): AS Watson's health and beauty chain with 8,000+ stores across Asia and Europe. Comparable as a complementary health-and-wellness retailer in the Asia-Pacific geographies where H&B is now expanding via the DFI/Guardian partnership; relevant competitor for H&B's international push.

Emerging players

• LloydsPharmacy: UK pharmacy chain that historically carried a significant supplement/vitamin range. Direct competitor in retail pharmacy-led health services (weight management, flu jabs, online pharmacy) — increasingly relevant as H&B expands into clinically-led services through the Phlo partnership.
• iHerb: Large global online retailer of vitamins, supplements, and natural products. Direct DTC competitor for H&B's digital sales (£249M and growing 20% YoY), with broader SKU selection and pricing advantages from direct shipping.
• Planet Organic: UK-based organic supermarket chain focused on health foods, supplements, and natural beauty. Smaller-scale UK competitor in the natural/organic segment that targets a similar health-conscious consumer base as H&B but with a different store format.

Others

• Phlo: Scottish online pharmacy partnered with H&B for GLP-1 weight management services. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor; representative of the digital clinical services that increasingly power H&B's services-led growth.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/holland_barrett
• Facebookfacebook.com/hollandandbarrett

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holland & Barrett