Health Food Shops in the UK

Finding a good health food shop in the UK

Health food shops sell what the supermarket does not, with advice attached: vitamins, minerals and supplements; herbal and homeopathic remedies and natural skincare; wholefoods — grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, flours — often loose from refill dispensers; organic, vegan and vegetarian food; free-from ranges for gluten, dairy, egg and nut allergies and intolerances; sports nutrition; eco cleaning and refills; and the chilled and frozen alternatives. The independent shops are the heart of it, often thirty years old with a nutritional therapist or a herbalist on the staff; the chains carry the supplements and the wholefood and zero-waste shops the refills.

Shopping well is a matter of asking and comparing: the staff at a good independent are trained and will say whether a supplement is worth taking, which form is absorbed and what interacts with medication, and will send you to the GP when that is the answer; own-brand and loose refills are the value against the branded jars; and loyalty schemes, discount days and bulk sizes bring the prices to supermarket level for staples. Free-from and vegan ranges are wider and fresher than the supermarket aisle, and most shops order in what they do not stock.

The listings here show each shop's ranges and specialities, supplements and advice, refills and wholefoods, free-from and dietary ranges, practitioners and clinics, hours, delivery and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who stocks what you need, and where people in your town go for the things the supermarket does not sell.

What health food shops sell

Supplements: vitamins, minerals, omega oils, probiotics, protein, herbal and homeopathic remedies, with staff trained to advise on dose, form and interactions.

Wholefoods and refills: grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, flours, oils, spices and cleaning products, often loose into your own containers.

Special diets: gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, low-sugar, keto and allergen-free food, bread, snacks and chilled and frozen ranges.

Natural living: natural and organic skincare, toiletries, essential oils, eco cleaning and refills, and teas and drinks.

Practitioners: nutritional therapists, herbalists, homeopaths and other practitioners in clinic rooms above or behind the shop, and health testing.

Shopping well at a health food shop

• Ask; the staff are trained and will say what is worth taking and what to check with your GP.
• Tell them about any medication; some supplements and herbs interact.
• Compare the own-brand and loose refills with the branded jars; the same thing costs half.
• Bring containers for the refills and ask about the loyalty scheme and discount days.
• For allergies, read the label every time; recipes change, and ask what is made in-store.
• Ask them to order in; most shops get what they do not stock within a few days.

What health food costs in the UK

As a rough guide, a month of vitamin D costs £3 to £8 and a good multivitamin £6 to £15, omega-3 £8 to £20, probiotics £10 to £30, magnesium £6 to £15, and herbal tinctures £8 to £15 a bottle; loose oats, rice and lentils by refill 20 to 40 per cent below the supermarket's packaged prices, nuts and seeds £8 to £16 a kilo, and dried fruit similar; gluten-free bread £2.50 to £4.50 a loaf, vegan cheese £3 to £5, plant milks £1.50 to £3; a nutritional therapy consultation £60 to £120 and a herbalist £40 to £90; own-brand ranges and loyalty schemes take 10 to 20 per cent off. Independent shops match the chains on most supplements and beat them on wholefoods.

The refill of oats and lentils into your own jars costs less than the supermarket's, and the £6 vitamin D is the one supplement most people actually need in winter.