On Thursday 7th April Deloitte presented at the EuropeActive President’s Council Summit at FIBO the key findings of the unique 2022 European Health and Fitness Consumer Survey commissioned by EuropeActive. In January 2022, 11,000 consumers across 19 countries were asked about their fitness consumption behaviour.
One main conclusion from the survey is that the “hybridisation” of the sector is here to stay. Research indicates that the fitness consumer is active in various ways as presented in the illustration above. The study shows that of the 35% of all fitness consumers who train at a club;
- 16% practice only at the club
- 7% exercise at the club and at home
- 3% exercise at the club and outdoors
- 9% exercise at the club, outdoors and at home
In 14 of the 19 countries, the number of consumers who have cut back on their exercise routines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic exceeds that of consumers who have increased their exercise frequency, thus demonstrating the negative impact of the lockdowns on people’s physical activity levels.
Regional differences are evident across the countries regarding the popularity of different training environments such as fitness club, outdoor fitness or at-home exercise.
Over 50% of consumers also stated to practice fitness at least once a week. This figure also relates to the consumer sentiment of increasing physical activity levels as long as exercise becomes and remains possible in a safe environment. Several overarching factors impact how and where Europeans exercise:
- Outdoor, home and club-based fitness function as complementary workout components
- Millennials act as drivers for the immersion of fitness experiences
- COVID-19 emerged as a major disruptive factor for fitness club routines
- Equipment and social experience function as USP of the fitness club
- Small workout equipment acts as driver of at-home exercise
- Corporate fitness has unlocked potential to enthuse more people about fitness
- Fitness intermediaries act as door openers for boutique studios
The fitness and physical activity industry is looking into a more digital future, yet monetization of digital content remains a challenge and it is clear that fitness clubs continue to be the mainstay of industry revenues. A majority of fitness practitioners (54%) also expects to use a wearable device one year from now, which is up 14pp from the current level.
This Consumer Research Survey was made possible by the generous support of the following EuropeActive’s President’s Council for Operators members:
This publication is part of the 2022 European Health & Fitness Market Report (EHFMR), which is available (excl VAT) for EUR 399 (EuropeActive members only EUR 199) and can be ordered through EuropeActive’s Knowledge Centre.
Detailed information for press and commercial use can be requested from Carlos Fernández, via communications@europeactive.eu. Photos, logos and other materials supporting this press release are also available via the aforementioned email address.