Standards of personal health, hygiene and well-being have never been so high. Markets have flourished as people aspire to healthier lifestyles based on greater affluence and increased leisure time. Yet, health problems associated with increasingly sedentary lifestyles and urban-focused economy, such as obesity, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, and stress are evident, suggesting that not everyone is taking as much care of themselves as they might.

There are plenty of opportunities for manufacturers as well as service providers, such as pharmacists, alternative therapists and other practitioners, including personal fitness and diet advisers, to deliver a diverse range of products and services to a population in need of assistance.

This section covers online and store-based retailing of all health and beauty products and focuses on the use of specialists, such as dispensing chemists and beauty products specialists, compared with the use of non-specialists, such as supermarkets.