Launching throughout October to coincide with World Menopause Awareness Month, WHSmith is proud to announce that it has joined the GenM Collective – the Menopause Partner for Retailers and Home of the MTick® – to transform the shopping experience for millions of menopausal women. By shining a light on menopause-friendly products whilst on the go, WHSmith is making everyday support more visible and accessible, wherever women are.
The MTick, created by GenM, is the world’s only trusted universal shopping symbol and certification designed to signpost menopause-friendly products, making it easier for menopausal customers to search, source, and shop for what they need with confidence.
As the first travel retailer to partner with GenM, activations have landed in Gatwick North Airport and Birmingham Airport, and in 31 hospitals across the UK. The travel retailer will be offering a wide range of menopause-friendly products, including household names such as Always, Colgate, E45, Optibac, Charles Worthington, Lovehoney, and Menopace, as well as being one of the prime retailers to launch the menopause-focused brand from the women’s health experts at Canesten, CanesMeno.
Shoppers can look out for the MTick and GenM’s recognisable purple signage in-store at all locations, as well as some GenM digital screens outside the airport stores throughout the year, delivering further visibility and education to its menopause customers.
15.5 million women in the UK are currently experiencing menopause, yet when it comes to the menopause industry, 87 per cent of women report feeling overlooked and underserved by brands and retail. Research shows that 94 per cent of women want to shop for menopause-friendly labelled products, but two-thirds (66 per cent) say that these are difficult to find.1
United by the MTick®, WHSmith and GenM are committed to improving the menopause shopping experience through designated spaces in-store, an increased range and clear signage – all delivered with the trust, efficacy and confidence that the menopausal shopper needs.
Commenting on the initiative, Anna Lloyd, commercial director, WHSmith said: “At WHSmith, we’re proud to provide travellers with the products they need, exactly when they need them most, and sometimes, that means recognising the often invisible needs of those experiencing menopause. By supporting GenM and spotlighting menopause-friendly products across our stores, we’re not only improving the customer experience and helping travellers navigate the recognised signs of menopause on the go; we’re taking another meaningful step forward in how we support our people and the communities we serve.”
Niraj Virji, head of buying – health and beauty, also commented: “Our mission is to support all of life’s journeys, and an integral part of my role as Head of Buying is to ensure customers can count on us to find what they need, exactly when they need it on their travels. Whether visiting our Airport, Rail or Hospital locations, we want to make our Health and Beauty ranges as accessible as possible for all customers, so I’m really proud that the team have curated a range specifically for women experiencing menopause, using our space in stores to inform, educate and support customers in new ways.”
Heather Jackson, CEO & co-founder of GenM, commented: “It’s a huge milestone that WHSmith has joined the GenM collective, becoming the first travel retailer in the space to commit to empowering women to find menopause-friendly products on the go.
“With 48 signs of menopause, this stage of life can impact every aspect of a woman’s day – whether she’s commuting, working, travelling, or simply on the go. Our research shows that whilst 94% of women want to shop menopause-friendly labelled products, a staggering 66% can’t find what they’re looking for. Now, thanks to WHSmith and the MTick®, menopause support is more visible and accessible. Women can shop with confidence, wherever life takes them, knowing that trusted products are right there when they need them the most.
“It is these small changes that can make a huge difference to a woman’s lived experience of menopause. United by the MTick®, retailers like WHSmith are leading the charge in transforming the shopping landscape; delivering choice, trust, visibility and accessibility to menopausal consumers and driving the growth of a purposeful new retail category.”
