The Interview: Holland & Barrett’s beauty boss on its bold new strategy and omnichannel vision

Entering its next phase of expansion and transformation, Holland & Barrett recently launched a major overhaul of its beauty category, aimed at capturing a larger share of the market.

Central to this new strategy is a redefined concept of beauty - one that embraces a holistic, "inside-out" approach prioritising both efficacy and wellness.

The transformation supports Holland & Barrett's broader multi-year business turnaround, which has already seen two consecutive years of double-digit growth, an upgraded store portfolio, and the introduction of new retail formats and technology.

It also aligns with the high street retailer’s wider vision to deliver a science-led, customer-first experience across all channels, now under the leadership of new CEO Anthony Houghton, who was promoted from UK and Ireland CEO in August.

But leading the retailer’s new beauty strategy is Head of Category, Vicky Kelly, who, in this exclusive interview with TheIndustry.beauty, shares her plans, progress, and ambitions to make beauty a more integral part of the health and wellness business.

"We have been on this journey as a business for the last couple of years, working through different channels and categories. Now, it feels like the right time for us to focus on beauty. We’ve had a very successful transformation in food, active nutrition, and our vitamins and supplements, so focusing on this area was the obvious next step," Kelly explains.

"So, what do we mean when we talk about beauty? What we really mean is beauty from within. It’s about giving customers the knowledge and the products to support their journey, both from the inside and the outside."

The evolution of beauty under this strategy includes an in-store overhaul that integrates supplements and collagen into the beauty category, alongside new dedicated branded display areas.

As part of the this, customers in revamped stores can discover an updated range of high-performance beauty products, including new brands like Cetaphil, Aveeno, and Noughty. To elevate the experience further, trained in-store experts are also on hand to provide personalised advice, guiding shoppers to find beauty solutions tailored to their individual needs.

"A big part was - and still is - through customer insights: understanding which brands our customers are looking for. We did a huge piece of work last year to understand that, but also to see how those brands fit within our proposition," reveals Kelly.

"The most important thing is that they need to be efficacious - that’s our number one priority. We want products that will help our customers and ensure that what we’re selling is trustworthy and effective. We focus on ingredient-led, dermatological products."

"So, our approach is twofold: through colleague training and by ensuring we have the right point-of-sale range. It’s all really driven by the insights."

It’s one thing to introduce new brands, displays, and experiences - but education and a clear customer journey are also key elements of Holland & Barrett’s new in-store formats.

"We bring this to life, as mentioned, through our colleagues. They are our biggest asset in-store, so we focus on helping them communicate how important it is to care for your skin from the inside out," adds Kelly.

"This new approach is also something we’re addressing through point-of-sale displays. For example, we have an edit bay where we really help customers by bringing together inside and outside products. We call this concept perfect pairings."

And so far, so good: the initial store pilot of the new format has yielded promising results, with beauty sales at trial locations increasing by an average of 7% from June to August compared to other stores.

Starting with Cardiff, Wales - home to the retail giant's first-ever 'experience' store - the new beauty concept has also been introduced in Birmingham, as well as London’s Walthamstow and Angel locations.

"Cardiff was our first step into beauty, really bringing the concept to life, and it made sense to do it in our experience store. What we’ve done since is take elements of that into our store trials. Some aspects remain unique to the experience store, while others, like the look and feel, have helped us tailor our trial stores," Kelly says, hinting that Manchester might be next.

"For me, the biggest win is that customers are resonating with the inside-out proposition. They have also reappraised us for beauty, which has definitely come through in the feedback - they are seeing us differently, and that’s exactly what we want!"

Kelly added that the revamped beauty concept will roll out across larger city stores throughout 2026, with additional brand partnerships and innovations planned.

"We have a large number of stores and very different customers in each one. So, we’re looking at grouping stores based on the customers who shop there - helping us focus on the right places to drive the best value for both the business and the customers," notes Kelly.

The transformation extends beyond physical stores, with an expanded range now available online as well.

"This is about omnichannel. We know that in beauty, experience is really important, whether that’s a physical experience or an online one. Our ambition is to create a seamless journey between the two, with lots of content and education available on site to support customers who might not want to speak to colleagues," highlights Kelly.

"From a range perspective, online also gives us more opportunity since our stores have a limited footprint. We’re also improving navigation, making sure our website is easy to use, and investing heavily in technology.

"Digital is a major investment area for us, and we’re focused on becoming a true omnichannel player - not just in beauty, but across the business overall."

This is further amplified by a new partnership with beauty retailer Face the Future, enhancing Holland & Barrett’s online offering and customer experience through a concession-style collaboration that creates a "shop within a shop".

As part of this, Face the Future has its own dedicated landing page on the Holland & Barrett website, allowing customers to browse and purchase its curated range of products alongside Holland & Barrett’s core offering.

All orders are fulfilled by Holland & Barrett, while customers enjoy expert content, specialist knowledge, and access to the premium beauty brands that Face the Future brings to the platform.

Commenting on this partnership, Kelly tells TheIndustry.beauty: "When I joined the business and started looking at the proposition and strategy, it felt like we needed a partner to help us with a couple of things online. One was scaling our online range to offer a larger selection, and the other was bringing in expertise - particularly in skincare. Face the Future brings a huge amount of credibility and scale, so it felt like the right partnership."

At the heart of Holland & Barrett’s beauty transformation is a clear ambition: to position the retailer as a trusted authority in health-led beauty. By combining expert knowledge with a curated range of effective, products, the retailer aims to support customers not just in how they look, but in how they feel.

"We want to be the destination customers turn to when they need support for their skin or hair concerns. I want them to think, 'Holland & Barrett can help me because they’re experts who understand what causes skin issues and can help me find a solution'," concludes Kelly.

And it doesn’t stop there - Holland & Barrett is also in ongoing conversations with more brands, with additional launches planned over the next 12 months, both in-store and online. So, keep your eyes peeled!