Holland & Barrett will launch a new ad campaign marketing its staff’s specialist knowledge as a unique selling point after it received a Government-backed accreditation for its staff training programme.

From the end of March the health food specialist will debut its “qualified to advise” strapline, using point-of-sale marketing in-store to drive more customers through its doors.

A television ad campaign, featuring face of the Holland & Barrett, former Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones, is scheduled to air towards the end of April.

Peter Aldis, chief executive of NBTY Europe, which owns the retailer, helped formalise the training package. “It’s a really important move because we are a specialist retailer. It is what our business is all about,” he said.

The accreditation gives staff a widely recognised vocational qualification and makes Holland & Barrett the first retailer which can claim all staff are qualified to advise on nutritional supplements.