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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the health and wellbeing market
- Enhance pre-purchase engagement with expertise and information
- Optimise the purchasing experience with value and efficiency
- Attract and convert consumers from the beauty and personal care aisle
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Prudent spending will stable market growth
- Outlook for the health and wellbeing market
- Technology, inclusion and the environment will drive growth
- What consumers want and why
- Health and wellbeing is taking a holistic turn
- Graph 1: health and wellbeing products purchased in the last 12 months, 2025
- Next-gen health consumers focus on more than just price
- Graph 2: most important factors when choosing health and wellbeing products, 2025
- Support health consumers in their decision-making
- Graph 3: attitudes towards health and wellbeing products, 2025
- Convenience leads retailer choice
- Graph 4: types of retailers used to purchase health and wellbeing products in the last 12 months, 2025
- Graph 5: channels used to purchase health and wellbeing products in the last 12 months, 2025
- Shoppers look for efficiency during the purchase journey
- Graph 6: factors that influence where health and wellbeing products are purchased, 2025
- Personalise in-store shopping experiences…
- …while highlighting the convenience of online
- Graph 7: online health and wellbeing product purchase behaviours, 2025
- Convert beauty consumers to the health aisle
- Graph 8: BPC and health/wellbeing purchase behaviours, 2025
- Innovation and marketing
- Wellness in one place
- Convey value to appeal
- Use sustainability efforts to stand out
- Make marketing relatable
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market drivers
- Inflation in health drops
- Graph 9: CPI annual inflation rates by division, all items vs pharmaceutical products, 2025
- Financial struggles will dent health spending
- The NHS transformation bodes well for the market
- Health and wellbeing market is well-positioned to hone in on longevity
- Recognise the health needs of ethnic minority consumers
- Tech will revolutionise the holistic health journey…
- …and empowers women’s health management
- Weight-loss drugs could disrupt the market
- Graph 10: weight management methods used in the last 12 months and interest in using in the future, 2024
- Eco credentials could become a differentiator
- Graph 11: attitudes related to the ethics and sustainability of shopping online, 2025
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Health and wellbeing products purchased
- VMS demand aligns with consumers’ holistic approach to health…
- Graph 12: health and wellbeing products purchased in the last 12 months, 2025
- …and high levels of innovation
- Graph 13: share of health and wellbeing launches accounted for by VMS, 2021-25
- Empower women to take control of their sexual health
- Graph 14: health and wellbeing products purchased in the last 12 months, by gender, 2025
- Tap into wide health and wellbeing purchase repertoires
- Graph 15: repertoire of health and wellbeing products purchased in the last 12 months, all adults vs Baby Boomers, 2025
- Explore the longevity trend in NPD
- Most important factors when choosing products
- Health consumers seek value beyond price
- Graph 16: most important factors when choosing health and wellbeing products, 2025
- Different priorities emerge across different health categories
- A shift of focus among the next generation of health consumers
- Own-label can tap into the pursuit of value
- Oral hydration aligns with holistic health management
- Eco/ethical claims have room to grow
- Graph 17: health and wellbeing launches, by top three eco/ethical claims, 2021-25
- Cabinet Health pioneers refillable medicine
- Attitudes toward health and wellbeing products
- Health and wellbeing purchasing is need-driven…
- Graph 18: attitudes towards health and wellbeing products, 2025
- …but interest in trends presents opportunities
- Pre-purchase research is commonplace
- Communicating scientific evidence will become a must
- Where health and wellbeing products are purchased
- Online channels could explore more premium offerings
- Graph 19: channels used to purchase health and wellbeing products in the last 12 months, 2025
- Opportunities for family bundles online
- Comprehensive channels outperform
- Amazon and Boots are the leading retailers of choice
- Graph 20: retailers used to purchase health and wellbeing products in the last 12 months, 2025
- Provide young shoppers with professional support
- Grocers can tap into preventative mindsets
- Graph 21: health and wellbeing products purchased in the last 12 months, by type of retailer used to purchase products, 2025
- H&B retailers can up their game for diverse consumers
- Graph 22: select types of retailers used to purchase health and wellbeing products in the last 12 months, by ethnicity, 2025
- Factors that influence where health and wellbeing products are purchased
- Improve navigation to reach a wider audience
- Graph 23: factors that influence where health and wellbeing products are purchased, 2025
- Create a pleasant browsing experience for women…
- …while utilising technology to reach men in need of advice
- Improve purchase experience to future-proof the market
- Graph 24: select factors that influence where health and wellbeing products are purchased, by any children, 2025
- Pop-ups can provide trialling opportunities
- Digital assistant aids purchase experience
- Interest in in-store services and merchandising
- Improve the in-store shopping experience with personalisation
- Graph 25: interest in in-store services and merchandising when shopping for health/wellbeing remedies, 2025
- Staff favourites add a personal touch to product promotion
- Retailers tap into the growth potential of health services
- Online purchase behaviours
- Online purchasing needs to adapt to local needs
- Attract more shoppers to click and collect services with added benefits
- Just Eat expands pharmaceutical delivery
- Balance the convenience of rapid delivery service with social responsibility
- The link between BPC and health/wellbeing purchasing
- The link between beauty and health holds potentials
- Graph 26: BPC and health/wellbeing purchase behaviours, 2025
- Engage active beauty consumers…
- …across multiple channels
- Graph 27: consumers who often shop for beauty/grooming products and health/wellbeing products at the same time, by types of retailers, 2025
- Blurring boundaries increase appeal
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ADVERTISING AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Lean in on money-saving opportunities…
- …and added-value services
- Tesco converts grocery points to health savings
- Boots highlights the convenience of delivery
- Holistic health experience on the rise
- Engage active consumers
- Harness the power of storytelling
- Roll out blister recycling initiatives
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data
- Population projections
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
UK’s health and wellbeing market is undergoing a transformation, with 41% of shoppers buying health and wellbeing products even when they’re not unwell or in pain. This reflects the demand for holistic health solutions. Driving this evolution are trend-savvy young consumers seeking lifestyle-driven solutions, but also underrepresented older generations.
However, financial pressures are prompting UK consumers to cut back on healthcare spending, while rising consumer scepticism demands brands and retailers provide concrete proof of product claims.
Despite these challenges, the market is ripe with opportunities. Retailers can enhance pre-purchase engagement by providing science-backed information and educational content, building trust and loyalty. For example, in-store retailers can use interactive tools, such as QR codes or digital screens, to provide bite-sized ingredient knowledge or expert guidance, for shoppers to take in while browsing. This also helps create a seamless experience to aid their decision-making.
By addressing evolving consumer demands, retailers and brands can position themselves as trusted allies in holistic health management, driving growth and long-term success.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Health and wellbeing products purchased, including repertoire and key demographics
- Most important factors in purchase decisions
- Attitudes towards health and wellbeing purchases, including intentions, interests in trends, pre-research purchase, and trust in claims
- Where health and wellbeing products are purchased, and the factors that influence retailer choice
- Opportunities to engage consumers with in-store service and merchandising, and online convenience
- The link between BPC and health purchase, and ways to convert shoppers from one aisle to another
Shifting towards holistic management, consumers demand science-backed products, a seamless shopping experience and cross-category solutions for total wellness.
Ziyu Tian, OTC & Personal Care Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines the UK health and wellbeing retailing market for consumers aged 18 and over. Health and wellbeing remedies include:
- OTC remedies for pains and ailments, including cough, cold and flu, digestive disorders, allergies, ear, eye and mouth conditions, etc
- Vitamins and supplements with wellness benefits, including stress relief and sleep aids
- Personal health and wellbeing products, such as intimate hygiene and sanitary products and sexual health products
- Other wellness products, such as smoking cessation, hydration, and first aid products
Additionally included in the scope of this Report:
- Wearable technology and test kits for health-tracking and self-diagnosis
The consumer research focuses on the journey/route consumers purchase these health and wellbeing products, including researching, purchasing and potential ongoing engagement.
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