- Critics say sweet treat takes advantage of vulnerable group at risk of depression
Holland & Barrett has been accused of belittling women by selling a £3.79 bar of chocolate-covered ‘menopause almonds’.
The health food giant claims the sweet treat, which contains a woman’s entire daily allowance of saturated fat, can soothe menopause symptoms and provide ‘mood support’.
Instructions on the pack say each 75g bar contains ‘one daily dose’, adding: ‘We suggest splitting it in two and having one half in the morning and one in the evening.’
It boasts of containing vitamin B6, claiming this ‘contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity’. However, vitamin B6 is naturally present in almonds.
A description on the Holland & Barrett website describes the product as ‘a treat that will satisfy your tastebuds and support your mood’.
It adds: ‘Satisfy those chocolate cravings with our indulgent bar. Rich, dark chocolate is paired with crunchy almonds to create a tasty combo.’
Menopause campaigner Kate Muir called the product ‘nuts’ and accused Holland & Barrett of ‘menowashing’.
She said: ‘I really feel very strongly that this is exploiting a vulnerable group of women who deserve much, much better than they’d get from a chocolate bar. I think it shows real contempt.
‘Thankfully, I don’t think women are that stupid, and hopefully won’t be distracted by ridiculous money-making products like this.’
Ms Muir, author of Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause, joked that Holland & Barrett should make a Milk Tray-style chocolate box with the chocolates named after menopause symptoms – such as the Hot Flush Cream, the Brain Fog Truffle and the Dry Vagina Swirl.
But she added: ‘We also need to recognise this as a hormone deficiency which is very serious in terms of mental health for women. There is a peak in suicide among women in perimenopause.
‘Women need to know they can go to the NHS and get proper help and hormone replacement therapy, rather than relying on chocolate bars and ineffective complimentary remedies.’
As well as chocolate and almonds, the bars contain a tiny amount of saffron extract, branded as ‘Affron’.
The product was tested in one very small trial in 2021, sponsored by its makers, which found it had no effect on hot flushes or other physical symptoms of menopause.
A small number of women said they felt slightly happier after eating 28mg of it – equivalent to the amount in seven bars of the Holland & Barrett chocolate – every day for 12 weeks.
Each chocolate bar contains 462 calories, almost a quarter of a woman’s daily allowance, and 20g of saturated fat – a woman’s entire daily allowance.
Furious social media users raged at Holland & Barrett, which has 727 stores in the UK, calling the product ‘embarrassing’ and ‘ridiculous’.
One person re-labelled the bar as ‘Depression Support Almonds for Men’, writing: ‘Do you think they’ll be duped into buying it?’
Another messaged the chain saying: ‘Not shopping in your shops again. Take your menopause nuts and shove them.’
Someone else wrote: ‘Disgraceful, shameful, OUTRAGEOUS crock of crap!’
A fourth person added: ‘Insulting to the female race. It’s literally NUTS.’
One man joked: ‘Is that to feed the menopausal “her indoors” to alleviate her depression?’
One reviewer wrote on the Holland & Barrett website: ‘I don’t know why this is marketed as menopause chocolate, but nevertheless I bought it. It was ok, but no better than any other chocolate, and not even as nice as a leading organic chocolate at the same price point. Expensive for what it is and poor value for money.’
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The market for menopause remedies is currently valued at £472billion ($600bn) worldwide. Due to ageing populations, an estimated 1.2 billion women will be going through the menopause by 2030.
However, campaigners have warned such products are often designed to exploit vulnerable women as they are ineffective or based on poor clinical evidence.
A spokesman for Holland & Barrett said its chocolate and almonds bar is ‘a snack with added benefits’ for women going through menopause.
They said: ‘We have long supported women’s wellness and champion greater awareness and education on menopause and menstrual health and the options available to support women through this time.
‘Our Almonds in Dark Chocolate with Benefits Bar is delicious dark chocolate with Affron, a clinically studied extract which helps to support moods during menopause and contains Vitamin B6 to help the regulation of hormonal activity.
‘It is recommended to be consumed as part of a balanced and varied diet alongside a healthy lifestyle, giving women a choice to reach for a snack with added benefits.’
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
