With the new school year underway, new research from Holland & Barrett in Ireland reveals that one in three parents (33%) worry about their child falling ill, rising to 41% among primary school parents. Children typically bring home 4–5 illnesses each school year, often starting as early as October – just weeks into the new term.
These back-to-school bugs have a tangible impact on families, with parents missing an average of 3.4 workdays annually, rising to four days for parents of primary school children.
In response, families are taking preventative measures: nearly half (46%) report using supplements support immunity, while others use flu vaccinations (43%) or implement stricter home hygiene routines (41%).
Beyond physical health, parents are also concerned about emotional and academic pressures. One in three (33%) worry about their child settling back into school routines, and 41% are concerned about homework-related stress, with these figures higher among primary school parents.
To help families, Holland & Barrett has launched an Immunity Bundle for just €40, featuring six carefully selected, immune-supporting favourites designed to make it easy for families to stay on top of their everyday wellness while enjoying great savings. Each bundle contains:
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Holland & Barrett Immunity Support Trail Mix “With Benefits” Strawberry & Cranberry
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Holland & Barrett Wellmune Vitamin Complex Orange Flavour Powder
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Holland & Barrett Vitamin D Tablets
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Holland & Barrett High Strength Effervescent Vit C & Zinc in Orange Flavour
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Bluey Immune Support Mixed Berry Flavour Gummies
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Holland & Barrett Kids Multivitamin Strawberry Gummies
Speaking on the back-to-school season, Holland & Barrett nutritionist Emily Foster said: “Back-to-school season can be challenging for household immunity, but small changes can make a big difference in supporting both children and parents during this time. Starting the day with nutritious food is especially important. Natural yoghurt or kefir provide calcium while colourful fruits like bananas, apples, and kiwis in lunchboxes provide essential fibre and vitamin C. Omega-3s can be tricky for kids, but adding salmon to a creamy pasta sauce or sardines to tacos is a great way to support intake. Supplements can also play an important role in supporting immunity, and research by Holland & Barrett shows that nearly half of families (46%) are using supplements as a preventative measures to protect their children’s health.”
The Back-to-School Immunity Campaign is part of Holland & Barrett’s mission to educate, empower, and support family health. Families can access expert articles, enjoy savings on specially curated immunity bundle, and personalised wellness advice in-store or online at
www.hollandandbarrett.ie
