Having worked in the fitness industry for over 25 years, I’m still so excited about where our industry is heading—not just in the next quarter, but in the next five years.
The newly released UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2025, published by ukactive, offers the clearest view yet into what’s working, what’s changing, and where the greatest opportunities lie.
What does this mean for fitness franchising? In short, it shows that it’s investment that’s fit for the future. Millennials and Generation Z are driving the growth of our industry and the forecasts are that this is set to continue.
Here are my key takeouts from this report and why it’s so exciting for potential investors.
The growth can’t be ignored
The numbers in this report speak for themselves and 2024 was another record year for the industry. Over 11.5 million people had gym or leisure centre memberships, a 6.1% rise from 2024. Furthermore, these members racked up over 600 million individual gym visits between them throughout the year.
The UK is one of Europe’s most active nations too. The penetration rate of gym memberships currently stands at 16.9% and showcases the huge untapped potential that can still be achieved,
At Snap Fitness we’ve seen this firsthand. Memberships are climbing, members are staying longer, and our community feels more engaged than ever.
The future is bright
While this was one of the most predictable statistics from the report, it’s also one of the most exciting for our industry. The most active age groups in the UK are 16-34-year-olds, the Gen Zs and Millennials.
We’re currently seeing a generational shift. For Gen Z and Millennials, gym memberships are no longer a luxury—they’re a lifestyle essential. This group isn’t just interested in the physical benefits that it brings, they’re investing in mental wellbeing, confidence, and community.
The data shows home workouts and gym memberships now complement each other and that a gym membership needs both options. For franchises like ours, we’ve embraced hybrid fitness for a number of years and our members, particularly the younger generations, value being able to access content and video workouts from us at home.
More than physical goals
A finding that we loved to see was that having a gym membership is motivated by far more than just the physical benefits it brings. When Snap Fitness had a huge brand refresh in 2021, we introduced a tagline of ‘For The Feeling’, a reflection that exercise isn’t about how it makes you look, it’s how you feel.
The figures from the UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2025 back this up too. Over three-quarters of respondents (76%) said that improving their mental health and wellbeing was an important motivator for holding a gym memberships. In addition, 75% said that improving their confidence was important too.
This is great to see and shows that people are increasingly seeing the broad range of benefits that a gym membership brings. This is important as gyms are being seen as more inclusive and welcoming spaces, which should have a positive knock-on effect for membership growth.
Investors love our sector
A key sign of the huge confidence in the health and fitness sector is the number of mergers and acquisitions in 2024. There were a total of seven deals last year, which was the highest since 2019 and a clear signal of strong investor confidence.
In addition, private equity interest remains high, highlighting fitness as a resilient and high-potential market.
As a franchise, this really reinforces and validates the path that we’re on. With scale, brand equity, and a model that balances affordability with quality, we have a model and formula that investors are backing.
The experience is everything
Fitness is no longer just physical. Our members are looking for community, purpose, and transformation. That’s why at Snap Fitness, we it’s not as simple as just building a gym—we create spaces where people feel they belong.
Becoming a gym owner gives you the platform to positively change lives, as well as capitalising on a sector which as the figures show, is thriving.
