8 Jul 2016

Growth in spending at the gym and on sports contributes to leisure sector's £117bn value

Growth in spending at the gym and on sports contributes to leisure sector's £117bn value news article image

Passion for Leisure: A view of the UK leisure consumer, looks at the key drivers of the UK leisure market, how consumer behaviour is changing and the impact the growth of the leisure sector is having on the broader economy.

The report finds the turnover of sports activities and clubs, gyms and health clubs has grown by 6.1% year on year from 2010 to 2014 and is now estimated to be in excess of £15.3bn. It also highlights the contribution made to the UK economy by hosting events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games and the Rugby World Cup.

Deloitte used a sample of over 3,000 for its data collection and found that 42% had claimed to have spent money on gyms or other sports. It also discovered that spending on gym memberships rose by 44% in 2015, attributing this to the growth of pay-as-you-go gyms and the increasing adoption of wearable technology.

The report closes by looking to the future of the leisure sector and recommends that it embraces technological change and places more emphasis on engaging with consumers in order to make them brand advocates.

You can read the full report here.

Latest News

17 Sep 2025

National Inclusion Week - Reshaping Sport So Girls Belong

As we mark National Inclusion Week, we spotlight our member Women in Sport, a charity that for over 40 years has been dedicated to understanding and breaking down the barriers that hold girls and women back from the opportunities and lifelong benefits of sport and activity.

Read more Arrow Right
16 Sep 2025

Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award nominations open ahead of 90th anniversary celebration

Nominations for the Alliance’s annual Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award are open ahead of the organisation’s 90th anniversary celebration event, which has been confirmed for St James’s Palace in November.

Read more Arrow Right
15 Sep 2025

Celebrating National Inclusion Week Through Sport and Activity

Sport and activity should be for everyone, everywhere. This National Inclusion Week, we celebrate progress while calling for change to break down the barriers disabled people continue to face.

Read more Arrow Right

Become a member

Joining the Sport and Recreation Alliance is pretty simple, but worthwhile!

Register now

Our Partners

Admincontrol logoAir IT logoGateley Legal logoSport:80 logoZellar logo93FT logo