Comments on: Neutrahealth in Trouble http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html Experiments and Thoughts on Quackery, Health Beliefs and Pseudoscience Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:52:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dr* T http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6840 Dr* T Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:20:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6840 I see they have now 'consolidated'<br/>------<br/><br/>NeutraHealth plc, one of the leading UK vitamins & supplements companies, announces that it is improving efficiency and reducing overheads by relocating all of its Bristol based operations to Swadlincote, Derbyshire.<br/><br/>Consolidation<br/><br/>Brunel Healthcare, a subsidiary of NeutraHealth, has distributed from two sites since NeutraHealth acquired operations at Swadlincote in June 2008. This structure, with duplicated warehouse and support costs, has been under review since acquisition. The decision has now been made to consolidate the two into one operation based entirely in Swadlincote. Remaining Bristol based administrative and operational functions will be transferred to the larger Swadlincote facility by the end of the year. <br/><br/>This will allow the Company to reduce overheads as the multiple retail division focuses on delivering its organic growth strategy within this key sales channel. The board further anticipates that the move will result in cost savings of more than £0.5million in 2009. <br/><br/>The Company is trading in line with current market expectations.<br/><br/><br/>Ray Myers, Chief Executive, commented:<br/><br/>"This consolidation will make the Company more effective in delivering service, quality and innovation to customers, while reducing overheads. This operating structure is more suitable for achieving future growth and is more appropriate for the continuing profitability of the Group." I see they have now 'consolidated'
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NeutraHealth plc, one of the leading UK vitamins & supplements companies, announces that it is improving efficiency and reducing overheads by relocating all of its Bristol based operations to Swadlincote, Derbyshire.

Consolidation

Brunel Healthcare, a subsidiary of NeutraHealth, has distributed from two sites since NeutraHealth acquired operations at Swadlincote in June 2008. This structure, with duplicated warehouse and support costs, has been under review since acquisition. The decision has now been made to consolidate the two into one operation based entirely in Swadlincote. Remaining Bristol based administrative and operational functions will be transferred to the larger Swadlincote facility by the end of the year.

This will allow the Company to reduce overheads as the multiple retail division focuses on delivering its organic growth strategy within this key sales channel. The board further anticipates that the move will result in cost savings of more than £0.5million in 2009.

The Company is trading in line with current market expectations.

Ray Myers, Chief Executive, commented:

"This consolidation will make the Company more effective in delivering service, quality and innovation to customers, while reducing overheads. This operating structure is more suitable for achieving future growth and is more appropriate for the continuing profitability of the Group."

]]> By: LeeT http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6830 LeeT Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:42:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6830 Why don't we all buy shares in Neutrahealth using the 2 pence pieces we have in our old jam jars, call an EGM and summon Patrick Holford along to explain what he has been up to? Why don’t we all buy shares in Neutrahealth using the 2 pence pieces we have in our old jam jars, call an EGM and summon Patrick Holford along to explain what he has been up to?

]]> By: teekblog http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6822 teekblog Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:35:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6822 @ mojo: "it just relies upon enough people being sufficiently affluent for them to have money to spend on stuff that isn't strictly necessary."<br/><br/>well put, the thing is this is precisely what I'm criticising nutri-pill industry for - as LCN says, it's quite a tenuous platform on which to base your business when even the slightest change in economic outlook brings the whole shooting match crashing down. you're right tho, most so-called luxury goods are subject to the same vagaries! @ mojo: “it just relies upon enough people being sufficiently affluent for them to have money to spend on stuff that isn’t strictly necessary.”

well put, the thing is this is precisely what I’m criticising nutri-pill industry for – as LCN says, it’s quite a tenuous platform on which to base your business when even the slightest change in economic outlook brings the whole shooting match crashing down. you’re right tho, most so-called luxury goods are subject to the same vagaries!

]]> By: Le Canard Noir http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6821 Le Canard Noir Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:25:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6821 I would argue that a business model of aggresive acquition and growth is innapropriate for a product that is ephemeral and illusiorary. Your customers, and hence yor cash flow, can disappear in the puff of a financial cycle. I would argue that a business model of aggresive acquition and growth is innapropriate for a product that is ephemeral and illusiorary. Your customers, and hence yor cash flow, can disappear in the puff of a financial cycle.

]]> By: Mojo http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6820 Mojo Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:42:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6820 "they must be prepared to suffer the consequences of a terrible business model."<br/><br/>It's not that it's a particularly terrible business model - it just relies upon enough people being sufficiently affluent for them to have money to spend on stuff that isn't strictly necessary. the same could be said about any part of the "luxury goods" sector.<br/><br/>See, for example, Edzard Ernst's comments about the correlation between sales of new BMWs and usage of CAM. “they must be prepared to suffer the consequences of a terrible business model.”

It’s not that it’s a particularly terrible business model – it just relies upon enough people being sufficiently affluent for them to have money to spend on stuff that isn’t strictly necessary. the same could be said about any part of the “luxury goods” sector.

See, for example, Edzard Ernst’s comments about the correlation between sales of new BMWs and usage of CAM.

]]> By: teekblog http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6819 teekblog Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:28:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6819 lovely analysis of the economics behind CAM in hard times - "Balancing their chequebook is going to be more important than balancing their chakras" - that's a line I love...!!<br/><br/>agree with gimpyblog above, the downafll of sCAMsters because they overstretched themselves economically is less satisfying than the public rejecting their woo. Still, considering the nutritionista industry is exactly that - an industry set up to sell products with a high profit margin based on dubious science - they must be prepared to suffer the consequences of a terrible business model.<br/><br/>Also, it's up to bloggers such as LCN, holfordwatch, gimpyblog and Goldacre to ensure the public is well-informed enough to resist to the pernicious advance of quacks into the public sphere. keep up the good work folks! lovely analysis of the economics behind CAM in hard times – “Balancing their chequebook is going to be more important than balancing their chakras” – that’s a line I love…!!

agree with gimpyblog above, the downafll of sCAMsters because they overstretched themselves economically is less satisfying than the public rejecting their woo. Still, considering the nutritionista industry is exactly that – an industry set up to sell products with a high profit margin based on dubious science – they must be prepared to suffer the consequences of a terrible business model.

Also, it’s up to bloggers such as LCN, holfordwatch, gimpyblog and Goldacre to ensure the public is well-informed enough to resist to the pernicious advance of quacks into the public sphere. keep up the good work folks!

]]> By: Le Canard Noir http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6818 Le Canard Noir Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:49:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6818 I wonder if the pharmaceutical compmany NBTY are looking at them now? They have just acquired Julain Graves and already own Holland and Barrett and GNC. I wonder if the pharmaceutical compmany NBTY are looking at them now? They have just acquired Julain Graves and already own Holland and Barrett and GNC.

]]> By: gimpyblog http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6817 gimpyblog Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:08:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/10/neutrahealth-in-trouble.html#comment-6817 It's a shame that a decline in CAM would be for economic reasons rather than the public becoming more aware of its ludicrousness. <br/>So what of the market for CAM? I suspect a core group of 'celebrity' CAM artists will survive by peddling to those rich enough to be relatively unaffected by the credit crunch while the vast majority, as you say, will have to find a more honest trade. The companies themselves will no doubt go through rounds of consolidations and takeovers while pitching for secure markets which five guaranteed incomes. The pubic sector most likely, we have already seen attempts from Dore and Equazen to get into schools. I hope that local councils will avoid the cheap entreaties of quacks with their quick solutions and spend their money wisely on proven interventions. It’s a shame that a decline in CAM would be for economic reasons rather than the public becoming more aware of its ludicrousness.
So what of the market for CAM? I suspect a core group of ‘celebrity’ CAM artists will survive by peddling to those rich enough to be relatively unaffected by the credit crunch while the vast majority, as you say, will have to find a more honest trade. The companies themselves will no doubt go through rounds of consolidations and takeovers while pitching for secure markets which five guaranteed incomes. The pubic sector most likely, we have already seen attempts from Dore and Equazen to get into schools. I hope that local councils will avoid the cheap entreaties of quacks with their quick solutions and spend their money wisely on proven interventions.

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