H&B: Brits on back foot for health
Nearly half of Britons are only proactive with their health when something goes wrong, according to new research commissioned by Holland & Barrett (H&B).
The retailer’s The State Of The Nation’s Attitudes To Health 2026 report, based on a survey of more than 5,000 UK adults conducted by Ipsos, found that 45% of respondents are reactive rather than proactive about their wellbeing. That’s despite 74% agreeing that building healthy habits early can help prevent illness.
The data also points to a gap between intent and behaviour. While 59% say they plan to prioritise their health over the next year, 37% admit they struggle to understand what their body needs. Meanwhile, 78% only visit a doctor when it is ‘absolutely necessary’.
“This latest report reveals a stark reality,” says Anthony Houghton, H&B Group CEO. “Whilst the nation has an ambition to live healthier lives, they are being held back by the barriers keeping them from turning this into reality, creating a significant ‘wellness gap’ with an urgent need for health and wellness to be made more accessible and addressing the lack of clear, actionable and personalised advice.”
“Whilst the nation has an ambition to live healthier lives, they are being held back by the barriers keeping them from turning this into reality.”
The report shows that while 56% of Londoners say it is easy to access healthcare locally, this falls to 34% in Northern Ireland and 39% in the East Midlands and the South East. Nationally, just under half (45%) say access is easy, while 28% find it difficult.
Anthony suggests that the high street has an important role to play in making health and wellness accessible for everyone. “At Holland & Barrett, we’re evolving into a destination for preventative health and everyday health and wellness support. By acting as a trusted, non-clinical partner, we can provide the science-led, personalised support needed to turn complicated health data into simple, everyday actions – relieving pressure on our NHS and wider health systems and making preventative health a reality for everyone, regardless of their postcode.”
Commitment to people and planet
H&B has also published its first Sustainability and Impact Report which is underpinned by the retailer’s ‘Back Every Body’ framework. This focuses on three core pillars:
Healthier planet: reducing carbon emissions in line with climate science while designing products and packaging to minimize environmental impact.
Healthier people: expanding access to trusted health advice and support, with a focus on removing barriers and reaching ten million people annually from 2030.
Healthier products: choosing ingredients for their proven benefits, sourcing responsibly, and being more transparent about how everything is made.
By Jane Wolfe, contributor