EUROPEAN MARKET FOCUS
GOING DEUTSCH
T
he German health and fitness market is booming: there were 8.55 million members in 2013 – a rise of 8.1 per cent on 2012,
and equating to 10.6 per cent of the total population. The number of clubs was up 4.9 per cent to 7,940, and revenues up 12.1 per cent to €4.55bn (data from DSSV). This growth is driven primarily by the
growth of the budget sector. Surprisingly then, average dues per member per month (including VAT) remains fairly high at around €47 – although as the budget operators take even more market share, this is likely to go down. And the budget operators do look set
to continue their march, offering not only great value for money but also evolution in their product. Market leader McFit, for example, has added studios (three per club) with a stylish Apple-white design, offering a wide range of virtual classes. It has also made its clubs more female-friendly by moving free weights areas into separate rooms. New challengers in the budget sector
even offer instructor-led classes, ladies-only areas and complementary drinks in large (up to 2,800sq m) design-led clubs, manned by increasingly well-educated staff and with convenient joining processes and inductions. This sector of the market is ‘pulling’
members with its innovation, as opposed to many mid-market operators
Circuit classes – such as milon (above) and freestyle – are popular in Germany
– lumbered with complicated overhead structures and a flagging quality of offering – who are trying to ‘push’ their products. Unless mid-market clubs offer additional facilities such as pools or large wellness areas, consumers are increasingly questioning why they should pay €50-60 for a monthly membership.
FEMALE FOCUS Women-only clubs are also strong in Germany, comprising around 9 per cent of all clubs – a number that’s remained stable over the last 10 years. Why? First of all, there’s a demand: 50 per cent of women claim not to like their body, and
How attractive is the German fitness sector as an employer?
“At first sight, the fitness industry in Germany is a very appealing employer. But in reality there are too few employment contracts that are sufficiently well-paid, and few chances for personal development. Many potential employees often have misconceptions about the job, both in terms of job content and the earning potential; they will consequently often
move towards other employers in the service and health sectors. “The fitness industry has to focus on
offering more attractive jobs in order not to lose the qualified human resources they require for their businesses to succeed.”
Nicole Capelan, HR specialist and founder of
www.medicpro.de
78 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
prefer not to be exposed to the other gender while they work out. Secondly, the successful women-only
clubs understand their market, with an offer that’s tailored to their specific needs: there’s a higher focus on communication, motivation and interaction; club interior design is key; and group exercise is high on the agenda, including mind-body classes. Meanwhile, the marketing speaks direct to the women in a language they appreciate, and with a strong emphasis on the values and philosophy of the company. With many mixed-gender operators
failing to meet these demands, there’s still plenty of opportunity for new entrants to the women-only sector: for example, Women’s Gym Jopp & Jopp, a Berlin chain, opened about eight women-only clubs in the last two and a half years, with an average of 2,300 members per club in the otherwise crowded mid-market sector. Meanwhile, Mrs.Sporty is an ongoing
success story – a German women-only franchise operation that now operates over 550 clubs in eight European markets, but predominantly in Germany. Its recipe for success centres around attracting women over the age of 45
April 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
Dirk Kemmerling provides an overview of the German health and fitness market
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