Health food specialist Holland & Barrett has begun a store opening programme in China and aims to have 300 shops in the country within five years.

Holland & Barrett opened its first Chinese shop in Shanghai yesterday and intends to open another 10 this year as it taps into a vitamins and supplements market estimated to be worth about ÂŁ1.6bn and growing.

The debut came as problems such as obesity and stress rise in China as lifestyles change, The Times reported.

Holland & Barrett’s China boss Yin Chen told the newspaper: “This is the right time – income is growing, people are more conscious of their health needs.

“We have a bay of weight-loss products for men and women and I think they’re going to do well here, especially among younger people.

“There’s also a stress bay. These are not just Western problems, they have become global problems.”

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