Health Stores Ireland has announced the launch of a new marketing campaign with a focus on gut health.
The sectoral marketing campaign was unveiled at the organisation’s annual conference and awards, held in Shannon Co. Clare on January 25. The campaign, which aims to reinforce independent health food stores as Ireland’s trusted authorities on digestive wellness, was initiated after a wide-ranging poll of regular health food store shoppers highlighted that gut and digestive health was the leading health issue driving customers to shops. The same poll highlighted that consumer have a high level of trust in the advice offered in health food stores over a wide range of health issues.
At the event, attended by more than 60 retailers and 70 trade representatives, Health Stores Ireland Director and MC, Finn Murray, from The Hopsack, in Dublin, called on suppliers and brand holders to direct their own marketing campaigns to run parallel with the Gut Health Matters initiative.
Health Stores Ireland is collaborating with supplier partners to drive product training and consumer offers toward the theme of gut health. The six-month campaign runs until June, with monthly themed focus areas including probiotics, traditional fibre foods, digestive enzymes, anti-inflammatory foods and the gut-brain connection. Participating stores will receive monthly training webinars, professional marketing materials, and coordinated supplier special offers.
Health Stores Ireland President, Erica Murray, emphasised the sector’s unique position, commenting: “There is a century of tradition, from the early days of fibre foods right up to cutting-edge gut-brain science and medicinal mushrooms, where modern health stores combine expertise and innovation for optimal consumer health.”
