Trend Tracker

Share of Search for UK Budget Gyms

Fitness & Exercise

Search Volume Trends

Share of Search

Market Competitiveness

Data Refreshed Monthly

Dimensions:

Pure Gym, The Gym Group, JD Gyms, Energie Fitness, Simply Gym, 24/7 Fitness, TruGym, Xercise4Less, Sports Direct Fitness, EasyGym, Everlast Fitness

Metrics:

Brand Share of Search, Search Volume

Tracker and Analyst Summary

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Overview:

The UK budget gym market is dominated by Pure Gym, The Gym Group, and JD Gyms, which collectively capture a substantial portion of the sector. Pure Gym consistently leads, with branded search data reflecting its strong consumer recognition and expansive reach among budget-conscious members. The Gym Group has also steadily increased its search share, currently nearing 32%, indicating successful engagement with price-sensitive fitness enthusiasts. Meanwhile, JD Gyms has effectively positioned itself as a rising competitor by offering value-driven, quality facilities, appealing to members looking for a higher-end feel within the budget segment. This trio of leading brands highlights the market’s demand for accessible, no-frills gym options that focus on convenience and affordability.

Smaller gyms like Xercise4Less, which once held a notable share, have significantly dropped in search interest since 2021. Similarly, brands like EasyGym and Sports Direct Fitness maintain very low search shares, indicating reduced brand visibility and possible consolidation of the market around larger players.

Tracking branded search data in the gym market provides actionable insights into consumer interest, brand appeal, and competitive shifts. Such data can reveal changing member preferences, identify emerging players, and highlight potential areas for expansion, serving as an early indicator of brand positioning and growth opportunities. By monitoring search trends, gym brands can better gauge their resonance with target audiences, allowing them to fine-tune their marketing strategies, adjust pricing models, and adapt service offerings to sustain or grow their market share.

Rationale:

The UK budget gym market began taking shape in the early 2000s, driven by a growing demand for affordable, accessible fitness options. Traditional gyms often came with higher costs and long-term commitments, limiting accessibility for many potential members. Recognising a gap, budget gyms like Pure Gym and The Gym Group emerged, introducing no-frills, low-cost membership models that focused on core fitness offerings without the added expenses of pools, spas, or personal training sessions. This approach, combined with convenient locations and 24/7 access, made fitness accessible to a wider audience, especially students, young professionals, and price-sensitive consumers. The demand only increased post-COVID, as health and wellness became more prominent priorities, solidifying budget gyms as a key segment in the UK fitness landscape.

Our tracker for metrics such as search volume and brand share of search will enable decision makers and stakeholders in the fitness industry to understand the market dynamics for budget gyms. It will help to track how the trends will progress since it’s COVID boom and how budget gyms react to shifts in consumer behaviour towards fitness.

Key Insights:

Market Leaders: Pure Gym, The Gym Group, and JD Gyms dominate the UK budget gym market, with Pure Gym consistently leading in branded search share. The Gym Group has steadily grown to reach nearly 32% of searches, while JD Gyms is gaining traction by offering a value-driven experience within the budget space.

Emergence of JD Gyms: JD Gyms has made significant progress in the last five years, with its share rising to around 14-19% by 2024. This growth indicates successful brand awareness and a clear market differentiation strategy.

Key Growth Drivers: The growth of budget gyms is driven by affordable, flexible membership models, high convenience with multiple locations, and a no-frills approach that focuses on core fitness offerings. These factors have attracted a wide range of members, especially price-sensitive and young demographics.

Decline of Other Notable Competitors: Gyms like Xercise4Less, which once held a notable share, have significantly dropped in search interest since 2021. Similarly, brands like EasyGym, Energie Fitness and Sports Direct Fitness maintain very low search shares, indicating reduced brand visibility and possible consolidation of the market around larger players.

Why use this tracker:

Tracking branded share of search and search trends provides vital insights into brand visibility, consumer interest, and market positioning within the budget gym sector. This data shows which brands resonate most with consumers, indicating brand strength and helping predict future growth.

Changes in search share reveal shifts in consumer preferences and highlight emerging competitors, serving as early indicators of potential market trends. For budget gym brands, this insight allows strategic adjustments in marketing, pricing, and offerings, ensuring alignment with consumer expectations and maximising market share. Tracking these trends gives gyms an advantage in understanding their competitive standing and adapting proactively to the evolving fitness landscape.

Membership Level:

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What is Share of Search?

Share of Search is a metric that measures the proportion of search queries for a specific brand or search term compared to the total searches within a particular category or market. Share of Search is an essential data drive tool for forecasting future trends.

Brand Share of Search serves as an indicator of a brand’s visibility and popularity relative to its competitors. By tracking Brand Share of Search, companies can gauge their brand awareness, understand their competitive positioning, and monitor shifts in consumer interest over time. This metric is particularly valuable as it often correlates with broader market trends, providing insights that can inform marketing strategies, brand positioning, and business growth efforts.

Non-branded Share of Search can be used to gain insights into shifting consumer interest and preferences. Fluctuations in share of search for different non branded search terms can provide early signals of emerging trends. For example, if searches for “Vitamin B Supplements” decline while “Vitamin D Supplements” rise, it could point to a shift in consumer preference. The metric is particularly useful for resource allocation, marketing messaging and product development to align with consumer preferences.

Can I download the data?

Yes the data for each chart, graph and table can be downloaded into xls. and csv. files by clicking on the download data icon.

Can I download the slide deck?

Yes, you can download the slide deck into pdf, jpeg and png files by clicking the 3 dots icon in the top right corner of each presentation and then clicking the download icon.

Can I create interactive presentations?

Yes, by clicking the 3 dots icon in the top right corner and then clicking the presentation icon, the tracker will be displayed as a full screen interactive presentation.

How frequently is the data updated?

The data is updated on a monthly basis, however, the day of the month our tracker updates varies from tracker to tracker.

What Insights Can I Derive from the Trackers?

Search Volume and Market Size: Our trackers provide data on search volume for tracked topics, search terms or brands. Whilst not directly correlated, in some instances, it can provide an indication of market size and maturity.

Stay Ahead of Market Trends: Trackers provide early detection of emerging trends, allowing professionals to anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour and capitalise on new opportunities before competitors.

Consumer Behaviour: By analysing search behaviours and volume, professionals can make data-driven decisions that align with consumer interests, improving product development, marketing strategies, and overall business outcomes.

Gain Competitive Insights: Trackers enable professionals to benchmark their brand’s search presence against competitors, offering insights into brand health, market positioning, and areas for improvement. It can also provide an indication of the overall competitiveness of the market in question.

Monitor Brand Performance: Regularly tracking brand share of search and related metrics allows professionals to assess the effectiveness of brand performance in the market and analyse market share.

Predict Future Market Share: By tracking trends in search volume and brand share of search, professionals can identify patterns that often precede changes in market share. This foresight allows them to proactively adjust strategies, optimise resource allocation, and position their brand for growth in a competitive market.

How Do I Use The Trackers

Trend trackers are essential tools for professionals in the health, wellness, and fitness industry, enabling them to stay informed about emerging market trends, consumer behaviours, and shifts in brand dynamics. By regularly analysing real-time data and comparing trends across factors such as seasonality, location, and sub-topics, professionals can gain a comprehensive understanding of their market. The ability to download data for your own in-depth analysis requirements allows for customised insights tailored to specific business needs. Furthermore, the tools for creating visual presentations and slide decks help effectively communicate these insights to stakeholders.

Moreover, these trackers can be used to predict future market share by analysing historical data and identifying patterns that indicate potential shifts in consumer interest and market dynamics. This foresight allows businesses to proactively adjust their strategies, ensuring they remain competitive and positioned for growth. In essence, trend trackers empower professionals to make data-driven decisions that enhance their ability to capture and maintain market share in a rapidly evolving industry.

What people are saying

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