Boots sees K-wellness as next big thing in UK

Is wellness the next wave of Korean innovation? British health and beauty retailer Boots sure says so.

Boots has launched a dedicated K-wellness category, building on growing demand for Korean beauty products and rising interest in wellness, the retailer said Nov. 2. The launch brings together Korean brands alongside three ranges sourced by Boots, including Seoul Bloom and Yongsan Wellbeing.

The launch offers edible supplements, spanning from chia fiber jellies and collagen cool melts to hyaluronic acid supplements, glutathione oral dissolving films and popping vitamins.

The UK retailer introduced Yongsan Wellbeing, six edible supplements sourced in Korea that draw on Korean wellness ingredients. Its product ingredients include red ginseng, pineapple enzyme, inulin fiber and chia and prune, in powder sachets and fiber jellies.

The packaging also incorporates Korean culture, featuring "beoseon," traditional Korean socks; "mugunghwa," Korea's national flower, the Rose of Sharon; "ggachi," or magpie; "haetae," a legendary guardian creature; and Gyeongbokgung, Korea's main royal palace.

Seoul Bloom is a five-product range sourced by Boots that offers five edible beauty products containing ingredients commonly found in K-beauty products, including hyaluronic acid, marine collagen peptides and retinol.

Boots is expanding its Habi into the wellness category with five products under its "Habi X K-Wellness," featuring colorful packaging inspired by the visual energy of K-pop, Boots said.

The launch also features Korean-born brands such as BB Lab and Rin, as well as brands inspired by Korean legacy, including Seoul Tonic and PrePear, offering ingestible beauty products to UK customers.

The move follows strong growth in K-beauty sales at Boots alongside increased interest in wellness. According to the retailer, K-beauty sales have recorded triple-digit year-on-year growth, while searches for "wellness" on its website have gone up by more than 200 percent over the past 12 months.

"Launching into the K-wellness space represents a bold new era of wellness, both for Boots and the wider industry," Joe Thorley-Mitchell, director of Boots Brand, said in a statement. "(We're) tapping into what we do best by bringing the latest trends straight from Seoul, at surprisingly affordable price points."

Social media is accelerating the interest in Korean beauty and wellness innovations, with customers seeking new products and approaches, said Grace Vernon, director of international retail partnerships for Boots Ignite and Trends.

"K-beauty has demonstrated how Korean innovation can influence everyday routines in the UK, and we see K-wellness as the next chapter in that story," Vernon said.

The products will be available in Boots, which includes Wellness Zones in more than 30 stores and more than 500 health and wellness specialists across the UK.