Holland & Barrett is training 600 women’s health coaches to provide in-store support

Formerly best known as a destination for dried fruit and vitamin tablets, women can now get advice on period pain, mood swings and sleep while shopping at Holland & Barrett.

The retailer has trained 600 staff to act as women’s health coaches after research showed there was a demand for wider support around hormonal and menstrual issues, with menopause being the “tip of the iceberg”.

Gynecological conditions were the number one topic raised by the 100,000 women who responded to a government survey that helped shape the UK’s first women’s health strategy in 2022. But 31% of women said the last time they got information about their cycle and hormones was when they were at school , or not at all’. according to research by YouGov on behalf of Holland & Barrett (H&B).

“Being on every high street means we’re ideally placed to normalize conversations about women’s health for women of all ages, from menstruation to fertility, endometriosis and more, and on to peri-menopause and menopause ” says Tamara Rajah, Chief Transformation Officer of H&B.

The once stalwart health food chain is trying to reinvent its more than 700 UK stores as destinations for “accessible wellness solutions that work”, by selling products that are “rooted in science”. The move comes amid an explosion of consumer interest in “wellness” products and services, especially among Gen Z and millennial shoppers.

As part of H&B’s overhaul, it is investing £3 million into its women’s health offering. This includes the cost of having 600 employees complete a training program, designed by medical professionals, on the menstrual cycle, including common symptoms, nutrition, gut health, sleep and mood. The coaches wear badges that allow customers to book sessions face-to-face or online.

There has been “a lot of progress” in some aspects of women’s health, says Lina Chan, director of women’s health at H&B, referring to the increasingly mainstream discussion about menopause.

But Chan said her research shows that “menopause is the tip of the iceberg and there is much more to be addressed throughout a woman’s lifespan.” Women didn’t get the support they needed, apart from a topic that happened to be the flavor of the month, she said.

Many women grew up feeling like menstruation or fertility issues were taboo topics, Chan said. “It’s not something you would come to work and have a conversation about, or talk to a friend at school about why your stomach hurts.”

This gap had not been filled before on the high street, Chan claimed. “The feelings, the symptoms and the need have been there, the solution and the access to the solution has not, and we are really stepping into that gap.”

There will also be access to a free menstrual health video helpline, in partnership with the Endometriosis Foundation and Menopause Mandate, where trained nurses will provide further support and guidance on the hormone cycle and any symptoms.