Health foods retailer Holland & Barrett has launched a TV campaign to promote its buy-one-get-one-half-price offer on everything in-store, which it claims is a first for any retailer in the UK.

The retailer has hired former Blue Peter presenter and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Gethin Jones as the star of the ads. The campaign kicked off last weekend and the promotion covers all of its 3,500 products.

Holland & Barrett expects the campaign to help it deliver double-digit growth on last year, having tested the offer earlier this year in its Irish stores.

Jones has been hired for a year and will also promote the retailer’s Sports Nutrition offer, alongside its range of toiletries Dr Organics.

The retailer, which bought rival chain Julian Graves in September last year, is also ramping up its expansion plans.

It is seeking to open a further 30 Holland & Barrett shops, 10 of its GNC fascia, and 15 of its Irish stores Nature’s Way. It will also refit 45 shops.

The retailer is planning a new-concept store in Bury St Edmunds, which will trial offers such as food to go, dairy-free Ice Cream, fair-trade coffee, a self-dispensing ‘build your own’ breakfast counter as well as pick and mix sweets.

This month Holland & Barrett has opened four international shops in Singapore in a franchise partnership with Jay Gee Health. It plans to open 30 further shops in the region over the next five years. This will be followed by franchise shops opening in Malta.

Chief executive Peter Aldis said: “In the last 12 months we have seen success in our first franchisee in South Africa, with the expansion from three to nine stores. Singapore presents an exciting future and we are confident our strategic partners will make the Holland & Barrett brand a success.”

He added that the retailer is seeking further franchise partners in different markets, and will “start franchising in other countries before the end of 2009”.

Holland & Barrett, owned by NBTY Europe, operates 350 shops. It is committed to the Julian Graves fascia and also has 80 De Tuinen shops in the Netherlands.

Next year the retailer also plans to ramp up its online business, with a view to its direct channels contributing 10% of annual turnover. It will also explore interaction with online shoppers through the use of initiatives such as social media and blogging.

Holland & Barrett now has 544 eponymous shops in the UK.

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