Holland & Barrett saw sales soar in its latest annual results, driven by TikTok-led health trends and weight-loss jabs.

The health and wellness specialist claimed that online trends boosted its total annual sales by 11 per cent year on year to £981m in the year to the end of September, according to The Times.

Holland & Barrett CEO Anthony Houghton said that “more and more people are being triggered by social media” to buy into health and wellness-related trends, including taking rosemary oil to fight cold-weather issues.

Although he said this was benefitting the business, he noted that there was an increase in customers who had “taken advice from social media [which is] not relevant to them”.

In addition, an increase in the use of appetite-suppressing treatments was another factor driving sales at the retailer, which boosted demand for healthier snacks and drinks, alongside supplements to support muscle retention and manage gastrointestinal side effects.

Store performance reportedly remained a key driver of growth, resulting in £731.3m in revenues, compared to £671.1m the year prior.

The brand’s gross profit swelled to £579.9m from £524.2m. However, its pre-tax losses grew to £71m from £61.8m the year prior due to a rise in staff pay, depreciation expenses and investment in shops, employee training, and digital improvements.

The company ended its financial year with £43.1m in cash and net assets of £560.4m, from £72m in cash and net assets of £644.4m the year before.

The results come after Holland & Barrett unveiled a major transformation of its beauty category in September, combining high-performance topical products with ingestible supplements in a new “inside-out” approach to wellness.

The group said the initiative formed part of its wider business transformation, which included upgraded store formats and digital services such as the H&B&Me platform.

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