Known as GP in the Goop community, Gwyneth reportedly made very few appearances at the summit, and when she was there she was hidden behind a wall of security. Photo / Getty Images
Known as GP in the Goop community, Gwyneth reportedly made very few appearances at the summit, and when she was there she was hidden behind a wall of security. Photo / Getty Images
Gwyneth Paltrow is under fire from attendees at her NZ$8500-a-head "In Goop Health" wellness summit who say the event was nothing more than a two-day advertisement for the lifestyle brand.
The star-studded summit in at Hammersmith's Re:Centre in London was billed as "a mind-body-soul reset" where guests would hear health wisdom straight from Paltrow, including tips about "hydrating mindfully" in a sound bath, "channeling God" through creativity with your hands and a workout with her trainer Tracy Anderson.
However, some attendees have complained that the useful information and experiences were drowned out by relentless promos that extended beyond the designated Goop store.
The actress herself, known as GP in the Goop community, reportedly made very few appearances at the summit, and when she was there she was hidden behind a wall of security.
"Gwyneth acts like she's a health goddess, but actually she's a pretentious, greedy extortionist," a source told Page Six.
"She had a ton of security . . . She was unapproachable. She did the minimum — a few fireside chats with Twiggy and Penelope Cruz, then she put on her Birkenstocks and snuck out . . . I was a huge fan of Gwyneth; now I feel like I have lost my faith in God."
A Summit Pass for the main Saturday event cost £1000 (NZ$1880) and a Wellness Weekender Package went for an eye-watering £2500 to £4500 (NZ$4700 to $8465).
Some attendees who took organizers' advice and booked their rooms at the luxe Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel through the Goop website for NZ$1943 for two nights later learned that they could have nabbed a room for as low as NZ$370 if they booked elsewhere.
The gluten free breakfast provided in rooms booked through Goop did little to make up for the perceived price discrepancy.
Gwyneth enlisted some celebrity friends such as Penelope Cruz for an onstage chat. Photo / Getty Images
One guest told Page Six that a prominent British guest texted fellow attendees saying: "GP is a f***ing extortionist."
Goop has maintained that the true value of the weekend exceeded NZ$11,900 considering the freebies, including golden facials, "far-infrared gemstone therapy" and health panels with experts unaffiliated with the brand.
British modeling icon Twiggy and actress Penelope Cruz joined the actress for a candid chat about Goop onstage.
Paltrow told spectators that the day was about creating "a new version of yourself" before adding that change was possible in every human being.
A rep said of the event: "In addition to walking around the summit, [Paltrow] also hosted an intimate workout class with Tracy, followed by a panel, where she and Tracy answered attendee questions in an honest, casual setting.
"We have not received negative feedback. [It] was more along the lines of: 'Thanks for an amazing weekend!'"
Previous Goop summits in 2017 and 2018 were held in Los Angeles, and this was the first year in the United Kingdom.
Goop was launched in 2008 as a weekly newsletter crafted in Gwyneth's kitchen, offering fans lifestyle recommendations, health-centric recipes, shopping discoveries, health products and fitness tips.
More than 10 years later, the company has grown into a massive empire worth a staggering US$250million.
