Holland & Barrett launches Body Shop challenger range

Holland & Barrett is aiming to take on The Body Shop with the launch of its first private label personal care range, Dr Organic.

The retailer is set to start heavily promoting the range next month with a new creative that will tie in with its existing WCRS-created TV campaign.

The launch marks the first private label range from a health food retailer. Dr Organic debuts with 68 products including shampoos, lotions, bodywashes and toothpastes.

Holland & Barrett says it has been on the hunt for a suitable range to fit its brand and price point for some time, but has held out for suppliers that could guarantee organic products that are free of the chemicals paraben and SLS.

It is hoping to capitalise on the growing demand for more affordable products free from such chemicals. “We wanted to create a product that is authentically natural but also accessible to our customers,” says Holland & Barrett brand manager Christina Payani.

“Even The Body Shop can’t claim its ranges are paraben free, and neither are mid-market brands you might expect, such as Simple,” adds Payani.

Supermarkets Waitrose and Tesco have sought to cash in on the growing demand for natural and organic personal care ranges that are more affordable than leading brands such as Dr Hauschka and Neal’s Yard.

Holland & Barrett is also supporting the new range via sales promotion and PR activity, and is planning to step-up marketing during the Christmas sales period.

Holland & Barrett will have over 800 stores in the UK if its acquisition of rival chain Julian Graves is approved by the Competition Commission.

The high street chain appointed WCRS as its first retained advertising agency a year ago. It had previously used Gorilla Communications to manage its product-led tactical advertising activity.