Design Partners, an award-winning product design and innovation agency centered on elevating human potential, today released its “New World of Home Fitness” research report. The report was created in tandem with The Shopper Agency, a shopper first, digital agency. It reveals new insights on people’s behaviors and attitudes towards exercising in the home and provides a rounded view of how brands and retailers need to adapt to the new world of home fitness.
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With gyms closing, people being confined to their homes, and our health threatened by COVID-19, people’s habits and attitudes towards fitness and exercise has dramatically changed. The survey conducted in June 2020 asked approximately 1,000 UK citizens ages 18 to 74 about their relationship with home fitness, with the gym, and with the equipment and technology they use or wish to use, both pre- and during COVID-19. The report highlights new consumer insights, which brands, retailers, and innovators can utilize to optimize and reshape their product offerings or better connect with their audience.
“The COVID lockdowns in 2020 have forced every participant in the gym and fitness arena to change and adapt very quickly, and that includes consumers, gym owners, fitness brands and retailers. For many of us, going to a gym or club is not an option, which has led to a massive explosion in the home fitness market,” said Cormac Ó Conaire, Creative Director at Design Partners. “This study uncovers new and interesting trends unfolding right in front of us. It highlights the potential for innovation for home fitness brands and tech companies – by adapting their strategies and product directions to address these changing attitudes and behaviors, they can stay relevant and succeed.”
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Major findings include:
- Traditional gym models are dead
- Mental health is a new key motivator
- People want tech that delivers personalization and community
- People are craving fun in their home fitness experience
Key takeaways and areas of exploration of the report include:
- 90% of people want home exercise equipment to be compact – 70% want it to look nice in the home
- 87% of Gen Z’s surveyed look for brands that are part of a community
- 87% do not exercise happily at home because of the barriers
- Less than 19% of people miss the gym, but over 60% of people want to replicate a gym-like experience in the home
- Over 50% of people want equipment that comes with an app, while 55% want something that offers coaching
- 75% of people have been the same or more motivated to exercise to improve their mental health since lockdown
- 74% of people have been more motivated to sleep better since lockdown
“Technology and self-reliance are accelerating the spending maturity of the younger generations quicker than anyone predicted, which makes it imperative for retailers to understand their behaviors,” said Martin Fawcett, Managing Director and Founder of The Shopper Agency. “Brands and products should focus on the ability to inspire social sharing and connectivity with others, while utilizing new convenience-led shopper journeys.”