New research from Mintel reveals that more than one in 10 people are planning to spend more on personal health and fitness clubs in the year ahead.
In 2011, the private health and fitness clubs market was worth £2.7 billion, up 17% between 2006 and 2011, an increase of 2% between 2010 and 2011. Mintel’s latest research questioning Brits about leisure spend in the past 12 months finds private health and fitness clubs are among the leisure activities participants are least likely to have cut back their spending on during the past year.
Michael Oliver, senior leisure analyst at Mintel, said: “The fact that consumers are not planning on cutting back on fitness spend reflects the fact that gym memberships are no longer considered a frivolous luxury but are now seen by many consumers as an essential part of their daily lifestyles, part of keeping healthy and fit in the same way that watching what they eat and drink is.”
Whilst this research looks at fitness clubs, it underlines the opportunity available to the outdoor industry. Consumers are clearly keen to look after themselves and outdoor pursuits are an ideal way of meeting that demand. Innovative marketing campaigns will be needed to ensure the industry can tap into the desire to keep fit.
