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Why it makes sense to invest in a fitness franchise with the feelgood factor

Sarah Stowe

You’re ready to invest in a fitness franchise that’s going places, so what are the trends to pick up on?

Fitness is now all about intuitive movement, with people exercising because it makes them feel good, rather than to lose weight.

This is the main trend in the fitness market, according to US business Zoom Active Lifestyle Marketing.

“After observing both the membership growth of our health-club partners and the number of brands wanting to reach an ‘active lifestyle consumer’, we decided to take a closer look at the consumers driving this movement,” says Zoom director of marketing Anne Fiedel.

“We found a consumer group of more than 100 million people who are working out more than twice a week. This audience cannot be defined by traditional demographics like age and gender. It is instead defined by what they do, and the experiences they share. We call this Generation Active.”

Meanwhile, the number of people with health-club memberships continues to grow steadily. Around the world, 151 million people belonged to health clubs, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the industry’s trade association.

Health clubs are starting to incorporate digital platforms and products, such as wearable devices, tracking programs and gamification strategies, into their program offerings, the IHRSA reports.

As a sign of how much the digital world is integral into the fitness arena, the Consumer Electronics Show last year featured a whole area of new tech for the active lifestyle space. 

  • Check out brands in the fitness sector