Holland & Barrett
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedBritish-founded international health, wellness and nutrition retailer
Last updated October 25, 2026
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Overview
Holland & Barrett is a British-founded health and wellness retailer whose modern identity is centered on vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, sports nutrition, specialist foods and natural personal-care products. The business traces its origins to 1870, when Major William Holland and Alfred Slapps Barrett acquired a grocery shop in Bishop's Stortford. Their original operation sold groceries and clothing and developed into separate grocery and clothing stores. Although the name survived several changes of ownership, the company did not become closely identified with specialist health retail until the twentieth century, particularly from the 1970s onward. The brand's ownership history has included Booker, Lloyds Pharmacy, NBTY and The Carlyle Group. Booker acquired Holland & Barrett in 1970 and also brought the Heath & Heather chain into the broader business; some of those stores were subsequently rebranded under the Holland & Barrett name. Lloyds Pharmacy acquired the business in 1992, and NBTY purchased it in 1997. When Carlyle acquired NBTY in 2010, Holland & Barrett became part of a large private-equity-owned health and nutrition group. In June 2017, Holland & Barrett was sold for a reported £1.8 billion to L1 Retail after interest from potential buyers including AS Watson and KKR. L1 Retail was formerly associated with Mikhail Fridman, who stepped down from the parent organization in March 2022 after sanctions connected with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Holland & Barrett operates through a combination of company-owned retailing, e-commerce and international franchising. Its principal market remains the United Kingdom, supported by a substantial Republic of Ireland presence and operations or franchise activity across parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. International development accelerated in the 2000s: the first three South African franchise stores opened in 2008, a Singapore network followed, and the company opened its first Chinese franchise store in Shanghai in 2012. A first Saudi Arabian store opened in Jeddah in 2018. Company statements cited in reference material describe a network of approximately 1,600 stores across 19 countries by 2025, while earlier published descriptions reported more than 1,300 stores in 16 countries. The retailer's positioning combines convenient high-street accessibility with the expertise of a specialist health store. It is particularly associated with supplements, vitamins, minerals and homeopathic products, an association strong enough to appear in British political commentary. Its assortment also includes foods for vegetarian, vegan, free-from and other specialist diets, as well as sports and lifestyle nutrition and natural beauty products. The company has used television advertising, celebrity involvement and illustrated brand storytelling to make health and wellness products more approachable. At the same time, some advertising and point-of-sale claims have drawn regulatory criticism for lacking supporting evidence, involving misleading comparisons or being presented unfairly. Holland & Barrett has also faced reputational controversy over its participation in the UK Work Programme. From 2011 it used unpaid work placements under the government scheme, prompting demonstrations, boycotts and sustained criticism from campaign groups. In July 2012 the company announced it would withdraw, and in 2015 it said it would pay its workforce and use apprentices paid at the applicable national rate. Today the brand remains active as a multinational health and wellness retailer whose proposition spans physical stores, online retail, own-label and third-party products and international franchise partnerships.
History
Holland & Barrett began in 1870 when Major William Holland and Alfred Slapps Barrett bought a grocery business in Bishop's Stortford. The founders' enterprise combined groceries and clothing and later developed into two separate shops. A Holland & Barrett store was documented in Epsom's High Street by 1900, demonstrating that the name had spread beyond its original location. During the 1920s, Alfred Button & Sons acquired the business but retained the Holland & Barrett name. The company subsequently changed ownership several times. A major transition came in 1970, when Booker acquired Holland & Barrett and also acquired Heath & Heather, a health-store business founded by James and Samuel Ryder in the 1920s. Heath & Heather locations were later incorporated into the Holland & Barrett network, helping establish the brand's modern specialist-retail identity. Lloyds Pharmacy bought Holland & Barrett in 1992. Five years later, NBTY acquired the retailer, placing it within an international vitamins and nutrition group. The Carlyle Group acquired NBTY in 2010, making Holland & Barrett part of a private-equity-owned portfolio. In 2017, NBTY began discussions to sell the retailer. AS Watson and KKR were among the parties reported to have shown interest, but L1 Retail ultimately acquired Holland & Barrett in June for a reported £1.8 billion. L1 Retail was formerly associated with Mikhail Fridman, who stepped down from the parent organization in March 2022 after sanctions connected with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The retailer expanded internationally through franchising during the 2000s. Its first three South African franchise stores opened in October 2008. Further franchise operations were established in Singapore, Malta, Gibraltar and Spain, followed by a first Chinese outlet in Shanghai in 2012 and a first Saudi Arabian store in Jeddah in 2018. Reference material describes the network as having approximately 1,600 stores across 19 countries by 2025, although earlier published descriptions used lower store and country counts. The brand became strongly associated with vitamins, supplements and homeopathy. This public association generated both commercial recognition and controversy, particularly when advertising or point-of-sale materials were judged to contain unsupported health claims, misleading comparisons or inadequate evidence. The company also attracted significant criticism for joining the UK Work Programme, under which benefit recipients undertook unpaid placements. Campaigners organized protests and boycotts from 2012. Holland & Barrett announced its withdrawal from the scheme in July of that year and later said in 2015 that its workforce would be paid and that apprentices would receive the national rate. Its current business combines specialist physical retail, online commerce, international franchising and a broad health-and-wellness assortment.
- 2018
First Saudi Arabian store opened
[1]The company opened its first Saudi Arabian store in Jeddah.
- 2017
Sold to L1 Retail
[1]L1 Retail acquired Holland & Barrett in a transaction reported at £1.8 billion.
- 2012
First Chinese franchise store opened
[1]Holland & Barrett entered mainland China with a franchise outlet in Shanghai.
- 2010
NBTY acquired by The Carlyle Group
[1]The Carlyle Group acquired NBTY, making Holland & Barrett part of its ownership structure.
- 2008
International franchising began in South Africa
[1]The first three South African franchise stores opened in Durban.
- 1997
Acquired by NBTY
[1]NBTY acquired the retailer and incorporated it into an international nutrition group.
- 1992
Acquired by Lloyds Pharmacy
[1]Lloyds Pharmacy purchased Holland & Barrett.
- 1970
Acquired by Booker
[1]Booker acquired Holland & Barrett and Heath & Heather, linking the business more closely with specialist health retail.
- 1920
Acquired by Alfred Button & Sons
[1]Alfred Button & Sons acquired the business and preserved the Holland & Barrett name.
- 1900
Epsom presence recorded
[1]The business occupied a store on Epsom High Street.
Products and positioning
A specialist, high-street and online health and wellness retailer offering supplements, nutrition, health foods and natural personal care.
Supplements
Vitamins and minerals
A core part of the retailer's assortment, including individual vitamins, mineral products and combination formulations. These products support the brand's long-standing identity as a specialist health and nutrition retailer.
Supplements
Herbal and food supplements
Holland & Barrett sells herbal preparations and other dietary supplements across wellness-oriented categories. The range has contributed substantially to the brand's association with natural and complementary health products.
Nutrition
Sports nutrition
The retailer's nutrition offer includes products aimed at exercise, training and active lifestyles. This broadens its proposition beyond traditional vitamins and connects the chain with performance and lifestyle nutrition.
Food
Health and specialist-diet foods
The food range includes health-oriented and specialist products, including items serving vegetarian, vegan, free-from and other dietary preferences where available. These products reinforce the stores' role as general wellness destinations.
Beauty and personal care
Natural beauty and personal care
Holland & Barrett also offers natural-positioned beauty and personal-care products, extending its health-store proposition into everyday body care and wellness routines.
Complementary health
Homeopathic products
Homeopathy has historically been part of the products associated with Holland & Barrett. This category has contributed to public debate about the retailer's health positioning and the evidence supporting product claims.
Controversies
2020
Holland & Barrett recalls nut products over salmonella risk
In late August 2020, Holland & Barrett recalled several products over a possible salmonella risk. According to the supplied report, the retailer issued the recall because the products may contain salmonella. The report does not identify the specific products affected, the number of items involved, or any illnesses linked to the recall. It also does not state how customers should return the products or what refunds, if any, were offered. The recall was described as urgent. No further details on the cause of the potential contamination or on regulatory action were provided in the source material.
2012
Work Programme participation controversy
Holland & Barrett participated in the UK Work Programme, under which welfare recipients could be required to undertake unpaid work to retain benefit payments. The arrangement led to adverse publicity, store demonstrations and boycotts. The retailer announced its withdrawal in July 2012.
Advertising and point-of-sale claims criticized
Some Holland & Barrett advertisements and in-store displays were adjudicated as misleading, involving unfair comparisons or claims not supported by sufficiently robust evidence.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Woodland animals television campaign
United Kingdom
A television campaign narrated by David Jason used anthropomorphic woodland animals illustrated by Yulia Drobova to present the retailer's health and wellness proposition.
Outcome. Brand advertising campaign
- 2004Kim Wilde television advertising
United Kingdom
Singer Kim Wilde appeared in Holland & Barrett television advertising during 2004–2005, giving the retailer a recognizable celebrity-led broadcast presence.
Outcome. Brand advertising campaign
Brand decisions
2017
Sold to L1 RetailM&ABackground
NBTY, acting for The Carlyle Group, initiated negotiations to sell Holland & Barrett, with AS Watson and KKR among the parties reported to have shown interest.
Action taken
L1 Retail acquired the business.
Aftermath
Holland & Barrett continued as a privately owned international health and wellness retailer.
Reported transaction value. £1.8 billion (June 2017)
2012
Exited the UK Work ProgrammeStrategyBackground
Participation in the government workfare scheme generated protests, boycotts and sustained negative publicity.
Action taken
Holland & Barrett announced that it would withdraw from the scheme.
Aftermath
In 2015 the company said that it would pay all of its workforce and use apprentices paid at the national rate.
2008
Adopted international franchise expansionStrategyBackground
The company sought to expand outside its core British market through franchise partners.
Action taken
It opened its first three South African franchise stores in October 2008 and subsequently developed franchise operations in several additional markets.
Aftermath
The franchise model supported expansion into Singapore, Malta, Gibraltar, Spain, China and Saudi Arabia.
Recent events
Holland & Barrett enters Tmall Global[4]
Holland & Barrett announced that it had entered Tmall Global, opening a sales channel for its products in China.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Love Hemp product line launches in Holland & Barrett stores[5]
Love Hemp launched a 10-SKU product line across 880 Holland & Barrett stores in the UK and Ireland and online.
Reported
Holland & Barrett recalls nut products over salmonella risk[3]
Holland & Barrett is recalling several products that may contain salmonella. The supplied article does not identify the products.
Sources6 sources
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