UK Health, Wellness & Personal Care Retail Media: Boots, Amazon & Tesco in 2026
We audited 692 sponsored placements across 31 HW&PC keywords on the UK's three largest online retailers. Here is the data on where competitors are spending, which formats are available, and where the whitespace is.
We audited 31 category-specific keywords spanning Supplements & Vitamins, Skincare & Beauty, Baby & Oral Care, and OTC Medicines — recording every sponsored product listing, brand display banner, and video ad placement across Boots, Amazon, and Tesco. The goal: give HW&PC brands a clear, data-backed picture of where competitors are spending, which retail media formats are available, and where the whitespace opportunities sit.
The Three-Speed HW&PC Market
The UK retail media landscape for Health, Wellness & Personal Care is not a level playing field. Our analysis reveals three retailers operating at fundamentally different levels of maturity, competition, and monetisation — and the gap between them is wider than most brands realise.
Platform 1: Amazon — The Saturated Giant
Amazon.co.uk is the most mature and competitive retail media environment for HW&PC in the UK. Every single one of the 31 audited keywords returned sponsored products — most hitting the maximum 12 placements — alongside 2–3 brand display banners and 1–2 video ads. Ad density runs at approximately 20% of all visible product cards.
The platform is dominated by DTC brands and native Amazon sellers. Nutravita and WeightWorld appear across 6+ keywords each, leveraging the full ad format mix — Sponsored Products, Brand Banners, and Sponsored Brand Video. Traditional CPG brands like P&G and L'Oréal compete here, but face significantly higher competition than on Boots or Tesco.
The Amazon Reality for HW&PC Brands: This is a pay-to-play environment where organic visibility is minimal. Supplement and vitamin brands must invest heavily in Sponsored Products just to maintain category presence. The upside? Amazon offers the richest ad format mix of any UK retailer, including Sponsored Brand Video — a format that lets wellness brands tell ingredient stories, demonstrate product benefits, and build trust in a way that static listings cannot.
Platform 2: Boots — The Premium Middle Ground
Boots occupies the natural home of UK HW&PC retail media. With moderate sponsored product density (typically 4 per keyword) and a highly engaged, health-conscious shopper base, it offers brands something Amazon cannot: category credibility. A Boots placement signals trust and clinical relevance in a way that a generic Amazon listing does not.
The platform differentiates through premium display advertising. We observed large hero brand display banners on 18 of 31 keywords — units that sit above all product results with prominent 'SHOP NOW' CTAs. The platform is dominated by L'Oréal Group (CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Garnier) and P&G (Pampers, Oral-B), both running coordinated multi-brand campaigns across Sponsored Products and Display. Boots also offers a unique 'SPONSORED' inline banner format observed for Pampers, Philips, and La Roche-Posay.
Whitespace on Boots: 12 Keywords Have No Display Banner
12 of the 31 audited health keywords had no brand display banner on Boots. These premium hero placements are available right now on high-intent searches including vitamin C, protein powder, collagen powder, mask, vitamin serum, indigestion tablets, eye drops, sleep aid, and menopause supplements. For HW&PC brands, a Boots display banner is not just an ad — it is a trust signal. The Boots brand carries significant health credibility with UK consumers.
Platform 3: Tesco — The Under-Monetised Opportunity
Tesco's retail media network is significantly under-monetised for HW&PC. 9 of 31 keywords (29%) returned zero sponsored products. Maximum sponsored density is just 6 per keyword, compared to Amazon's 12 and Boots' 8.
The platform shows extreme brand monopoly patterns. When brands advertise on Tesco, they frequently own every available slot — a pattern not observed on Amazon or Boots. The table below shows the full extent of this monopoly dynamic:
| Keyword | Slots | Dominant Brand(s) | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| moisturiser | 6/6 | Aveeno (all 6) | Complete monopoly |
| sunscreen | 6/6 | NIVEA SUN (all 6) | Complete monopoly |
| cough syrup | 6/6 | Benylin (all 6) | Complete monopoly |
| paracetamol | 6/6 | Calpol (5) + Panadol (1) | Near-monopoly (J&J) |
| omega 3 | 3/3 | Seven Seas (all 3) | Complete monopoly |
| mask | 4/4 | Garnier (all 4) | Complete monopoly |
| allergy tablets | 3/3 | Clarityn (all 3) | Complete monopoly |
| sleep aid | 3/3 | Nytol (all 3) | Complete monopoly |
| nappies | 3/3 | Pampers (all 3) | Complete monopoly |
| electric toothbrush | 3/3 | Oral-B (all 3) | Complete monopoly |
| face cream | 6/6 | NIVEA (3) + L'Oréal (3) | Duopoly |
| hayfever tablets | 6/6 | Benadryl (3) + Clarityn (3) | Duopoly |
The Tesco Whitespace: Niche health keywords including magnesium, iron tablets, zinc supplements, collagen powder, and menopause supplements all returned zero sponsored products. These are high-margin, fast-growing searches driven by an increasingly supplement-literate UK consumer. Any HW&PC brand activating Tesco retail media on these terms right now would have 100% share of voice with zero competition.
Tesco's Display Banner Expansion
Tesco is beginning to expand beyond Sponsored Products into display advertising — a significant development for HW&PC brands. We observed the first Tesco brand display banner on 'ibuprofen' (Nurofen's 'TOGETHER, LET'S CLOSE THE GENDER PAIN GAP' campaign). This is the only display banner observed across all 31 keywords on Tesco, and it signals that dunnhumby is building out its ad format capabilities. Brands that engage Tesco media sales now can secure premium display inventory before competition arrives.
Sponsored Product Density by Keyword
The table below shows the full keyword-level data from our audit, covering all three retailers across the four HW&PC sub-categories.
| Keyword | Category | Boots SP | Amazon SP | Amazon Banners | Amazon Video | Tesco SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| multivitamins | H&W | 8 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| vitamin c | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| vitamin d | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| omega 3 | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| probiotics | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| protein powder | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| collagen | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| magnesium | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| iron tablets | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| zinc supplements | H&W | 0 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| collagen powder | H&W | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| menopause supplements | H&W | 4 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| moisturiser | Beauty | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| face cream | Beauty | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| sunscreen | Beauty | 4 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| foundation | Beauty | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| mascara | Beauty | 4 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| shampoo | Beauty | 4 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| mask | Beauty | 3 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| vitamin serum | Beauty | 2 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| nappies | Baby | 4 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| electric toothbrush | Oral | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| cough syrup | OTC | 0 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| hayfever tablets | OTC | 2 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| paracetamol | OTC | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| indigestion tablets | OTC | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| eye drops | OTC | 4 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| allergy tablets | OTC | 2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| sleep aid | OTC | 4 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| pain relief | OTC | 4 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| ibuprofen | OTC | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTALS | 108 | 368 | 81 | 38 | 97 |
The Big Spenders: P&G and L'Oréal
Two advertisers stand out for their aggressive, multi-retailer HW&PC campaigns. Both offer a template for how to dominate the category across platforms.
P&G (via Spark Foundry)
P&G is running the most coordinated multi-retailer campaign of any advertiser in our audit. Pampers dominated 4 Sponsored Product positions on Boots 'nappies', all 3 positions on Tesco, and all organic positions on Amazon. Oral-B held Position 1 on both Boots and Amazon 'electric toothbrush', and all 3 slots on Tesco. This cross-platform dominance signals significant retail media investment and a deliberate strategy to own category keywords regardless of where the shopper searches.
L'Oréal Group
L'Oréal is the most visible advertiser on Boots, with 9+ brands — CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Garnier, L'Oréal Elvive — running across 8+ keywords via both Sponsored Products and Display. On Amazon, Lancôme held all 4 top slots for 'face cream' alongside a Brand Banner. On Tesco, Garnier monopolised all 4 'mask' positions. The L'Oréal model — multiple brands, multiple formats, multiple retailers — represents the ceiling of what a coordinated HW&PC retail media strategy looks like.
Reckitt (Nurofen)
Nurofen's campaign on Tesco 'ibuprofen' deserves special mention. Their full-width display banner — 'TOGETHER, LET'S CLOSE THE GENDER PAIN GAP' — is the only display banner observed across all 31 Tesco keywords. Combined with the Sponsored Product Position 1, Nurofen owns the entire visible page for this keyword. This is the most complete retail media execution observed on Tesco in our audit, and it signals that the platform is actively expanding its ad format offering.
Ad Format Comparison
| Ad Format | Boots.com | Amazon.co.uk | Tesco.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Products | Yes (4-8 per KW) | Yes (12 per KW) | Yes (0-6 per KW) |
| Brand Display Banner | Yes (18/31 KWs) | Yes (most KWs) | Yes (1/31 KWs) |
| Sponsored Video | No | Yes (1-2 per KW) | No |
| SPONSORED Inline Banner | Yes (3 KWs) | N/A | N/A |
| Category Page Ads | Yes (4 KWs) | N/A | N/A |
| 0-Sponsored Keywords | 2/31 (6%) | 0/31 (0%) | 9/31 (29%) |
| Advertiser Type | Mix: DTC + CPG | DTC-heavy, native | Large CPG only |
Strategic Whitespace Opportunities for HW&PC Brands
1. Tesco Niche Health Keywords Are Wide Open
Magnesium, iron tablets, zinc supplements, collagen powder, and menopause supplements all returned zero sponsored products on Tesco. These are high-margin, fast-growing searches driven by an increasingly supplement-literate UK consumer. Any brand activating Tesco retail media on these terms right now would have 100% share of voice — a position that will become significantly harder to achieve as the platform matures.
2. Tesco Beauty Has Low Competition Outside CPG Giants
Foundation, mascara, and vitamin serum returned zero sponsored products on Tesco. The platform's beauty advertising is dominated by a handful of CPG brands — NIVEA, Aveeno, Garnier — leaving significant whitespace for prestige, DTC, and challenger beauty brands. The monopoly pattern on Tesco means that a challenger brand entering these keywords now could own them entirely.
3. Boots Display Banners Are Unclaimed on Key Health Keywords
Premium hero banner placements on Boots remain unclaimed for vitamin C, protein powder, collagen powder, vitamin serum, sleep aid, and menopause supplements. For HW&PC brands, a Boots display banner is not just an ad — it is a trust signal. The Boots brand carries significant health credibility with UK consumers, and a hero banner placement on a high-intent keyword is one of the most powerful brand-building tools available in UK retail media.
4. Amazon Video Ads Create Differentiation for Wellness Brands
Amazon is the only UK retailer offering sponsored video ads in search results. SURI ran a Sponsored Brand Video on 'electric toothbrush' that played automatically in the results grid. For HW&PC brands, video allows you to tell ingredient stories, demonstrate product benefits, feature clinical evidence, and build the kind of trust that converts a browser into a buyer — in a way that static product listings cannot.
5. Tesco Is Expanding Its Ad Formats — Early Mover Opportunity
The Nurofen display banner on 'ibuprofen' is the first Tesco brand display we observed across all 31 keywords. This signals that dunnhumby is expanding ad formats beyond Sponsored Products. Brands that engage Tesco media sales now could secure premium display inventory before competition increases and prices rise.
6. Cross-Platform Presence Is Rare in HW&PC
Very few HW&PC brands advertise consistently across all three retailers. L'Oréal Group and P&G come closest, but they are the exception. Most brands focus on a single platform — typically Amazon. A coordinated cross-retailer media strategy (Amazon for volume, Boots for credibility, Tesco for whitespace) could deliver significantly higher category share of voice than competitors who advertise on only one platform.
The Takeaway: Match Your HW&PC Strategy to Platform Maturity
The UK Health, Wellness & Personal Care retail media landscape requires a differentiated approach by platform — and the opportunity to move before the market matures is real, but it will not last indefinitely.
Amazon: A high-investment, high-competition environment for vitamins, supplements, and DTC wellness brands. Success requires aggressive bidding, full ad format utilisation (including video), and continuous optimisation. Organic visibility is minimal — you must pay to play. But the volume is there, and Sponsored Brand Video remains a genuine differentiator for brands with strong content.
Boots: The natural home of UK HW&PC retail media. Moderate competition on Sponsored Products, but significant opportunity in display advertising. Wellness brands should prioritise securing hero banner placements on high-intent health keywords — particularly vitamins, supplements, and women's health — where competition is still low and the Boots brand credibility amplifies the impact of every placement.
Tesco: The under-monetised opportunity. Low competition, frequent monopoly positions, and significant whitespace on niche health keywords including magnesium, zinc, collagen, and menopause supplements. HW&PC brands that move now can secure dominant share of voice before the platform matures. The Nurofen display banner on 'ibuprofen' is an early signal that Tesco is building out its ad formats — this is the moment to get in before the window closes.
The brands winning across all three platforms — P&G and L'Oréal — are running coordinated, multi-retailer campaigns. They understand that UK HW&PC retail media is not a single market, but three distinct environments requiring three distinct strategies. The whitespace in this category is real. The question is which brands will claim it first.
Methodology: This analysis is based on automated browser scraping of live retailer websites during the week of 24 February 2026. We recorded every product card marked 'Sponsored' by the retailer, every brand display banner, and every video ad unit across 31 HW&PC keywords spanning Supplements & Vitamins (12 keywords), Skincare, Beauty & Personal Care (10 keywords), and OTC Medicines (9 keywords). All data reflects a single point-in-time snapshot. Sponsored placements change based on bidding dynamics, time of day, budget pacing, and A/B testing. Results may differ on repeat visits. This report was produced by Zenbundle, a Shopify Plus technology partner specialising in video commerce and performance marketing for health, beauty, and wellness retailers. For questions about this report or bespoke category audits, contact us at hello@zenbundle.com.
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