Cramps, headaches, feelings of indiscrimate rage – when period symptoms strike, most people are likely to reach for ibuprofen, a hot water bottle or maybe even some calming peppermint tea.

But now there’s a new option in the toolkit of those monthly essentials: a snack bar.

Made by startup Fem, it will roll into 450 Holland & Barrett stores next week, marking what the brand claims is the first national bricks & mortar listing for a snack bar that – apparently – supports menstrual health.

The bar itself is packed with a host of vitamins and minerals which have been selected for the “role they play in supporting hormonal balance, energy production and easing common cycle-related symptoms such as fatigue, bloating and cramping”, Fem says.

Whether the launch is wildly innovative or slightly questionable is up for debate. What’s for certain, however, is that it’s the latest in a long list of brands and retailers addressing women’s intimate health needs.

Periods and poos

Take Tesco, which in February expanded its number of permanent menopause-friendly bays by 32%. According to GenM, which provides the official MTick certification for menopause-friendly products, the move followed “strong customer demand and significant category growth in the first year” and highlighted “the demand for the menopausal shopping category”. 

Last month, ethical period care challenger Grace & Green expanded into bladder care with a 15-strong range aimed at new mothers, while TOTM launched Compact Applicator Tampons that prevent residual fibres from remaining in the body after removal. Also in June, plant-based supplements brand Dr Vegan announced it would permanently absorb the VAT on its PMS Hero capsules, cutting the rsp by more than 20%.

Period care brand Here We Flo also rolled out an in-store collaboration with Chelsea Foundation, across 375 Tesco stores. The initiative, launched in partnership with Chelsea FC’s charitable arm, was designed to support girls’ participation in football. It will see 10% of value sales from Here We Flo’s core range sold in Tesco stores and online donated directly to Chelsea Foundation. According to the brand, periods remain the biggest barrier to participation among girls aged 11-13 (47%) and 14-15 (52%).

Even Andrex is tackling taboo topics in women’s health, launching a campaign to normalise conversations around bowel movements during childbirth. Its recent #MyLabourPoo push responded to research showing that 75% of women feared pooing during childbirth. Fronted by comedian Katherine Ryan, it aimed to spark conversation across the nation and ”finally break the labour poo taboo for good”.

This recent wave of activity can only be a good thing. Encouraging girls and women to speak up about the issues they face, from cramps and PMDD to osteoporosis and PCOS, is essential for both mental and physical health.

Jade Scott, co-founder of Fem, points out that “women’s health receives only 1% of public health research funding beyond oncology”. So it’s promising to see the industry stepping up, even if science and medical research isn’t.

It’s anyone’s guess what comes next. Chewing gum to reduce cramps? A deodorant that eases bloating? Whatever form it takes, women’s health looks set to remain one of the most fertile grounds for innovation in the years ahead.

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