The fitness market - United Kingdom

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

The fitness market involves all sports center where one can engage in physical activity related to the well-being of the body. Typically, fitness centers provide the resources for individual exercise, group classes, personalized coaching, and relaxation through for example spa and Zen rooms.

In addition to fitness clubs, the fitness market has recently added services to its portfolio, such as personal coaches, outdoor fitness communities, and connected performance measurement applications and objects. This step is taken as consumers demand more personalization and customization.

In Europe in 2019, market growth is primarily driven by a 4.6 % increase in the number of clubs across all countries, driving a total increase in members of 3.5 % to 62.2 million. [Deloitte]

Globally, the fitness sector in the United Kingdom is expanding, driven by an increased concern for health, together with increased government spending on health and higher disposable income which enables this expenditure. This growth is partly due to the desire to combat obesity, which is a widespread issue in the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is the second largest market in Europe after Germany in terms of sales. The market is booming as health trends prevail; indeed, in 2016, 1 out of 8 people in the UK had a gym membership. In 2019, more than 10 million people had a gym membership, that is to say 15% of the UK population.

In light of a relatively high penetration rate, the fitness industry’s main growth potential is differentiation. In other words, exercise, dance, and spiritual classes with different themes from all around the world are becoming more common and is something most facilities offer in addition to the standard services.

The British fitness industry includes a large number of players, whose number is still growing, which means the market is fragmented. However, there are several large players including David Lloyd Leisure, Nuffield Health, Pure Gym, etc.